Opening Act
by sparkle7311
Summary: The Academy of Country Music Awards are being held in Bay City and it's up to Starsky and Hutch to protect a nominee from an obsessed fan.
1. Chapter 1

**OPENING ACT**

 **The Academy of Country Music Awards are being held in Bay City and it's up to Starsky and Hutch to protect a nominee from an obsessed fan.**

 **CHAPTER 1**

Ken Hutchinson dug his keys out of his pocket and unlocked the door to his apartment with a weary sigh. His job as a detective with the Bay City Police Department was both challenging and demanding. And while it had its rewards it also had its drawbacks, one of which was an increasing number of enemies. After too many unwelcome visitors over the years, he had finally stopped leaving his key above the door frame.

David Starsky, his partner and best friend, stood at his side.

The two men were as different in appearance as they were in temperament. Hutch had the lean, muscular build of an athlete and the long legs of a runner. His blond hair, fair skin, and ice blue eyes reflected his Nordic heritage. To most people, he appeared cold and arrogant,but that was just his way of covering up his natural shyness and awkwardness.

Starsky was the direct opposite of his partner. His lean, muscular build was more compact and he had a broader chest. His dark, curly hair, deep blue eyes, and olive-toned complexion had been passed down from his Slavic ancestors. Unlike his college-educated partner, he was a product of the streets who had received his higher education courtesy of Uncle Sam and the jungles of Viet Nam.

"Your turn to pay for the pizza," Starsky tossed over his shoulder as he strolled into the kitchen to grab two beers from the refrigerator.

The phone rang just as Hutch was reaching for the receiver to call in their order.

"Hutchinson." He threw his partner an apologetic smile as Starsky fumbled through the kitchen cabinets searching for the bottle opener.

"Hutchinson," rumbled the familiar voice of his commanding officer, Captain Harold Dobey. "Is Starsky with you?"

"Yeah."

'I need you both back in my office. I have a new case I need you two on."

Hutch hung up without answering and looked across the room at his partner. A slight smile tugged at the edges of Starsky's mouth even as he replaced the beer. "We gotta go back to work…" It was more of a statement than a question. Being on call twenty-four hours a day was just another drawback of their chosen career.

The two men went back down to the street where two cars were parked. One was a battered, brown ford with a dented fender and worn tires. The second one was an eye- catching candy apple red with a broad white stripe that went across the roof in front of the rear window, down both rear side panels and then forward, tapering to a point on the front fender. Starsky automatically ignored the brown ford and unlocked the doors of the red Torino.

Hutch had barely settled into the black leather seat before Starsky twisted the ignition. The powerful engine roared to life and he pulled into the street with a shrill squeal of the rear tires.

The sudden forward motion pushed Hutch back into the seat. When Starsky made a sharp left at the corner, Hutch grabbed his seatbelt and clicked it securely in place. He trusted Starsky's driving. He was the best offensive driver on the force, but there was no sense in taking unnecessary risks.

Despite the early evening traffic, they made it back to police headquarters in record time. Starsky parked in his favorite spot in front of the building, and the two men went inside. They exchanged greetings with fellow officers as they walked through the main lobby to the elevators. Their reputation in the department commanded both respect and admiration from their peers.

They stepped out of the elevator on the fourth floor and walked down the hall to their squad room. Although they shared space with the homicide/robbery bureau, Starsky and Hutch were part of the elite Zebra team. These were specialized two-man teams that not only handled a regular case load, but also patrolled an assigned distract of the city on a routine basis. Starsky and Hutch's district included the inner city, one of the roughest sections of Bay City.

Instead of entering the main squad room, they entered Captain Dobey's private office using an unmarked door in the hall. Dobey, a burly black man in his late forties, sat behind his desk. A second man, one that neither detective recognized, sat in one of the two chairs facing the desk.

The stranger was in his late thirties with neatly cut black hair and steely blue eyes. He was dressed in a cream colored western style suit with dark brown piping. His attire included a cream colored cowboy hat and a pair of brown leather cowboy boots with silver toe tips.

"Starsky, Hutch, this is Ray Lewis. He's the road manager for several of the performers coming into town from Nashville for the Academy of Country Music Awards. I'm sure that you two are aware that they are being held in Bay City this year."

"I read something about that in the paper," Hutch commented as he sat in the second chair while Starsky perched on the arm at his side.

"Some of the entertainers will be wrapping up their current tours here in Bay City," Ray Lewis spoke up. "Part of my job is to ensure the safety of all of the entertainers while they are guests in your city."

"So, what's that got to do with us?" Starsky asked in a mildly curious voice.

"Has either one of you ever heard of Mandy Reed?"

Starsky and Hutch exchanged a glance, and Hutch answered for both of them. "No, I can't say that we have, but then we don't have time to keep up on the latest who's who in the entertainment field."

"She's one of the nominees for the best new female vocalist of the year," Lewis explained. "She's on her first major tour right now."

"So what's that got to do with us?" Starsky repeated

"An obsessed fan that has been leaving notes and flowers either on her tour bus or in her dressing room before her shows," Captain Dobey clarified for his men. "Sue Anne Granger remembered how helpful you two were when she was in a similar situation, and she requested that the two of you take a look before someone gets hurt."

"Where is Miss Reed now?" Hutch asked

"She has dates booked solid for the next two weeks until the awards show," Lewis told them. "Right now she's doing a show in Tucson. Tomorrow she has a date scheduled in Phoenix."

"The two of you will be joining the tour in Phoenix," Dobey said. "Sue Anne has already helped set up your covers. Starsky, you will be joining the tour as part of the road crew." He glanced at his blond detective with a straight face. "Hutch, you will be the opening act for Miss Reed between Phoenix and here."

"What?" Hutch exclaimed in an alarmed voice. He looked at Starsky for support. "I'm not qualified to be anybody's opening act."

"Well, Sue Anne thought you were good enough that she told you she could get you a contact with her record company," Starsky reminded him with a pleased smile. "And she wouldn't have set you up as an opening act if she didn't think you could handle it."

Starsky had enough confidence for both of them when it came to Hutch's God-given talents. The blond could have had a successful career in music if it weren't for the stage fright he experienced whenever he stepped in front of an audience.

"I'm afraid there isn't enough time to come up with another cover on such short notice," Dobey told him. "You'll need to leave for Phoenix first thing in the morning in order to be there in time for tomorrow night's show." He shifted his gaze to Starsky. "As far as anyone else on the tour knows you two are friends, and Hutch is the one who got you on as part of the road crew. Miss Reed obviously knows who you really are. " He turned his attention back to Hutch with a thin smile. "And, by the way, you also need to make it look like you and Miss Reed are an item. We're hoping that will draw the stalker out into the open."

"Terrific," Hutch muttered under his breath. Ignoring Starsky amused chuckle, he rose to his feet in one fluid motion. "If we have to leave in the morning, we need to get packed." He grabbed Starsky by the arm and pulled him out of the room.

In the hallway, Hutch slumped against the wall and looked at his partner anxiously, his fear of performing in front of an audience showing clearly in his eyes. "Starsk, I can't do this! I can't get up in front of all those people and open a show for anyone!"

"Yes, you can," Starsky soothed his anxious partner. "I've got faith in you, Blintz. Just close your eyes and pretend that it's any other case. Besides, you only have to do a couple of songs, right?"

"More like four at least," Hutch grumbled as he straightened his shoulders and headed down the hall with Starsky trailing along behind.

"So, do some of your own songs," Starsky suggested helpfully. He was the only person who had ever been allowed to hear most of Hutch's original compositions, a privilege he didn't take lightly.

"Starsky, my songs aren't exactly 'country'. I'll have to work up a couple of standards by Hank Williams or maybe some bluegrass numbers like the Stanley Brothers or Bill Monroe."

"Hey, you could do some Jim Croce. He's country, isn't he?" Starsky's choice of music leaned more towards rock and roll despite Hutch's best efforts over the year to get him to appreciate other styles of music.

"Actually, he's more of a folk singer, but, yeah, I might be able to work a couple of his songs into the act," Hutch said as they left the building.

As he climbed into the Torino, Hutch began to mentally run through the songs he knew, trying to decide what he could sing without embarrassing himself. Distracted by his musing, he was startled when Starsky pulled over and parked in front of a downtown music store.

"What are we doing here?"

"I figured we better find an album by Mandy Reed so we at least know what she sounds like," Starsky explained as he headed into the store.

"Oh…yeah, that makes sense…" Hutch trailed along behind his partner. He felt guilty that he hadn't had the same idea himself.

Twenty minutes later, they left the store with the two albums that Mandy Reed had released so far. Hutch studied the liner notes on the ride to his apartment. There were several cover songs on both albums, a mix of songs that were currently on the charts plus some old standards. The single from her first album was titled _"That's Just How It Goes"_ and her second single was titled _"Mama Won't Be Waiting Up This Time"_ _._

Back at his apartment, Starsky put the records on the turntable, and they listened to her music as they ate a light meal and began to pack for their undercover roles. Mandy Reed had a pleasant voice with a distinctive southern drawl that could be heard in some of her phrasing. To Hutch, she sounded like the majority of other female country singers on the charts without anything that really set her apart.

"She sounds okay," Starsky said, voicing Hutch's thoughts. "But, she sounds like all the other 'girl' singers out there today.

"Yeah." Hutch folded a shirt and tucked it neatly into his bag. "Nashville seems to be falling into a rut…it's not so much about the music anymore. It's about how much money you can make and looking good while you do it."

"Well," Starsky said with a wolfish grin as he picked up one of the albums and looked at the picture on the front. "You gotta admit, she does look good."

Hutch chuckled under his breath, but he had to agree with Starsky. Mandy Reed was a very pretty brunette with porcelain skin, brown eyes, full lips, and a well-endowed figure. In her early twenties, she was a bit young for Hutch's taste, but that only added to her appeal to the younger crowd.

By the end of the evening, they were both packed, and Hutch had picked out a list of six songs that he felt confident enough to perform in a live show. Hutch set his alarm for 6 A.M. so they could get an early start the next morning. It was approximately a 7 hour drive to Phoenix from Bay City. Barring any unexpected delays, they should arrive in Phoenix around 2 that afternoon. That would give Hutch ample time to do a sound check before the eight o'clock show.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

Hutch was awake before the alarm went off the next morning. Pulling on his sweat suit and running shoes, he went out for his usual morning run. There was a mild chill in the morning air that was both bracing and refreshing. The ever-present haze of smog hung over the city, but today it wasn't too heavy.

Hutch's long legs covered the ground quickly, his muscles flexing as he fell into an easy jog. Staying fit was a requirement of his job. Besides jogging daily, he also worked out in a gym two days a week and tried to eat a healthy diet. Starsky, on the other hand, was a true junk food junkie who didn't work out unless Hutch goaded him into it. Still, he managed to stay fit and trim without an extra ounce of fat on his frame.

Hutch followed his normal five mile route, making a loop that eventually brought him back to his own doorstep. He opened the intricately carved front door and climbed the enclosed stairway to his second floor apartment. He opened the door and went inside, smiling at the sight of his partner, still sleeping soundly on the sofa, only his dark curls visible under the blanket that covered him.

Hutch decided to let Starsky sleep while he took a shower and made his usual morning health drink. When he finished with his morning routine, he called out in a cheerful tone, "Rise and shine, partner!"

Starsky grumbled and wiggled further under the comfort of the blanket. Smiling, Hutch walked over to the sofa and grabbed the blanket, jerking it off his sleeping friend. Starsky growled and opened his eyes, glaring sullenly at Hutch. He was not a morning person and didn't appreciate Hutch's early morning cheerfulness.

Ignoring the glare in those dark blue eyes, Hutch said, "Grab a shower and get dressed while I make some coffee."

Starsky stood up and made his way to the bathroom, muttering under his breath. Hutch chuckled as the bathroom closed behind his disgruntled partner. He knew that Starsky wouldn't be sociable until he had at least two cups of coffee and some food in him.

By the time Starsky rejoined him after completing his own morning routine, Hutch already had toast, scrambled eggs, and bacon cooked and ready to eat. Starsky sat at the table and began to devour his food. Hutch sipped his own coffee as he watched his friend enjoy his breakfast. Finally, Starsky pushed his plate aside and looked at Hutch with a sheepish smile. "Good morning."

"Good morning to you, too," Hutch replied with a grin. "Why don't you start packing the car while I fill a thermos for the road?"

Starsky nodded and finished his coffee as he shoved himself to his feet. There wasn't that much to load into the car. They had put their suitcases in the trunk the night before, so all that remained was Hutch's guitar case and three stage outfits he had packed in a clothing bag. They were on the road and headed for Phoenix within the hour.

They had taken Hutch's car by mutual agreement. Starsky refused to risk 'his baby' on this road trip. The Torino was safely stored at his mechanic's garage until Starsky returned to claim it.

Settling back into the passenger seat, he pulled his sunglasses from his jacket pocket and slipped them on against the glare of the early morning sun. "So, what all does a roadie do?"

"Anything he's told to do," Hutch shrugged. "Loading and unloading equipment, hooking up cables, setting up speakers, running errands…"

"Kissing ass…" Starsky quipped.

"Kissing ass." Hutch grinned in agreement. He pulled into the opposite lane to pass a slow moving sedan.

Hutch was still anxious about his upcoming debut. Performing in public was something he tried to avoid whenever possible. He had sung at a friend's bar a couple of times after having had too many beers to care how he sounded, and had won a police department talent contest that Starsky signed him up for without his knowledge. Starsky was the only person he felt comfortable enough with to sing in front of without feeling awkward and self-conscious.

The morning passed quickly. By the time they stopped in a small town for lunch, they were almost half way to their destination. The diner was small and all the tables except for one in the back were already taken. They sat down across from one another and began to look at the one-page menu lying on the table at each place setting.

A harried waitress appeared at their table. She was an older woman with dark blonde, gray-streaked hair and soft brown eyes. She greeted them with a warm smile. "What can I get you fellas?"

"I'll have a cheeseburger deluxe with a double order of fries and a large Coke." Starsky stole a quick glance at her name tag. "Marjorie."

"I'll have a chef's salad and a bowl of mushroom soup."

"Anything to drink, handsome?" the waitress asked as she scribbled their order on her pad.

"Just water."

She nodded and walked away to turn in their order. Starsky settled back in his seat and sighed happily, taking a deep breath of the delicious aromas floating in the air. His stomach growled loudly as Hutch tossed him an amused grin. Hutch felt the heat rising in his neck as his own stomach grumbled in response.

"I figure we should get to Phoenix around four or four-thirty," Hutch said. "As long as the traffic stays light between here and there."

"I'll drive the rest of the way," Starsky volunteered. "That way you'll be ready for your big debut tonight."

"I just hope I can get through it without making too much of a fool out of myself." Hutch grumbled.

"You'll be great. I know you will," Starsky said encouragingly. If Hutch needed Starsky to hold his hand, then that's what Starsky would do. He knew that once Hutch made it through that first song, he would be okay. It was up to Starsky to keep his friend's nerves from getting the best of him until then.

Marjorie returned with their food and set the plates in front of them. She hurried off to wait on another customer while the two men began to eat. After a leisurely meal with two cups of coffee each, they paid for their food, left a generous tip, and were on their way.

Starsky turned the radio to a local station and sang along with the songs in a slightly off key voice, making up his own lyrics when he didn't know the words. Lost in his own thoughts, Hutch watched the passing landscape, admiring the mountains in the distance.

The closer they got to Phoenix, the heavier the traffic became, forcing Starsky to slow down. It was almost five p.m. by the time they reached the arena where the show was being held. Stopping at the gate, Starsky showed the guard the show and crew passes that Ray Lewis had sent over the night before.

The guard consulted a list of names he had on his clipboard and checked off Ken Hamilton and David Stone. "Just follow the drive around to the back of the building and park in the private lot."

Starsky followed the road to the back of the arena. Two large buses were already parked in the lot along with a semi and three other cars. Starsky pulled in beside a bus painted in gold and blue with _Mandy Reed And Country Pride_ on the side in large flowing black script.

Hutch grabbed the clothing bag and his guitar case from the back seat. Starsky pocketed the keys as the two men walked to the back stage door and entered the building. The backstage area was teeming with people. Some of them were setting up equipment, while others seemed to be just wandering around. Despite the chaos, everything seemed to be running smoothly.

A man around their age with a ruggedly handsome face and dressed in blue jeans, a denim work shirt and the seemingly mandatory cowboy hat appeared at their side almost immediately.

"You must be the new roadie and the opening act." He greeted them with a warm smile and a handshake.

"Ken Hamilton and Dave Stone," Hutch introduced them, at the last minute remembering to use their undercover names.

"Mandy's in her dressing room. She said to let her know when you got here. Follow me."

He led the way through the crowd to a closed door near the steps that led to the back of the stage. He knocked lightly and then opened the door for them. As they stepped inside, he closed the door behind them.

Mandy Reed was sitting at a make up mirror carefully applying her make-up for the up-coming show. Her hair was in rollers, and she wore a blue satin robe belted tightly at the waist. She smiled brightly as she turned to face the two men.

"You must be Dave and Ken. I'm happy to meet you. I hope y'all can find whoever is doing this." She tilted her head at a bouquet of red roses lying on a nearby chair. "Those were waiting for me when I got here."

Hutch picked up the small white card lying on the chair beside the flowers. Neatly written on the card were the words 'Soon we'll be together'. He automatically shifted into cop mode.

"Did anyone see who brought them?"

"It was a regular delivery guy. Ray called the store, but whoever bought them paid for them in cash, just like the others." She turned soulful eyes on Hutch. "I don't mind telling you that I'm starting to get scared."

"When did you start getting flowers and notes like this?" Starsky asked

"About six weeks ago, just before a show in Ohio. At first I figured it was just a regular fan, ya know? I'm always getting flowers and notes or little gifts from my fans." She paused, chewing on her bottom lip nervously. "But then the notes started getting more personal, and the flowers would be waiting for me whenever I arrived at a new venue. A couple of times, they were even waiting in my hotel room if we were going to be somewhere for a couple of days. And that information is always kept strictly need to know so the fans won't find us."

"So whoever this guy is he must have some kind of access to confidential information. Have you fired anyone recently or had anyone quit unexpectedly?" Hutch asked.

Mandy shook her head. "No, most of the guys have been with me since before I signed with MCA. And the others have all been checked out before they were hired."

"What about before you signed with a major label? Any ex-boyfriends or anyone else that might hold a grudge?"

"No, nobody." She lowered her eyes demurely. "I'm actually engaged to my boyfriend from back home, but nobody connected with the show knows that. The record company doesn't want that to be made public yet. They think it will suit my image better if it looks like I am still available." She raised her head to look Hutch in the eyes. "I know you and I are supposed to make it look like we're a couple." She offered him a soft smile. "My fiancé knows that…as matter of fact, he is the one who suggested it."

"I'm glad to know that he's okay with this." Hutch said with a warm smile to put her at ease.

"As soon as this guy is caught and the awards show is over, I'm announcing our engagement. I don't care if the record company likes it or not. I don't like lying about my relationship with Jimmy."

"I can understand that," Starsky told her with a warm smile of his own. "My partner and I will do everything we can to find out who is responsible for this and put a stop to it before anyone gets hurt."

"Thank you. I really appreciate that. Now, I'm sure the two of you would like to meet the rest of the crew and that you," she looked at Hutch "Would like to do a quick sound check before the show."

"Yes, I would." Hutch agreed.

Mandy walked to the door and opened it. She spoke quietly to someone outside, and a younger man with long brown hair pulled back into a pony tail entered the room. He wore a blue tee shirt that identified him as "Crew" and had a back stage pass clipped to his belt.

"This is Billy Roberts." Mandy said. "Billy, this is David, our new roadie, and Ken. He's going to be my opening act for the rest of the tour. Please show them around and introduce them to everyone. And help Ken set up for a quick sound check."

"Sure thing, Mandy. Nice to meet you guys."

"Same here." Hutch said politely as they followed Billy out of the dressing room.

For the next twenty minutes, there was a blur of introductions as Billy introduced them to the rest of the crew and the members of the band. It was a lot of people to try and remember all at once but, between the two of them, Starsky and Hutch carefully made note of each person's name. They also identified any distinguishing feature each person had that made them stand out. They would get word back to Captain Dobey to check them out individually for criminal records or any other information that might prove vital to the case.

When the introductions were out of the way, Hutch joined the band on stage for a quick rundown of the songs he planned to sing in the show that night, while Starsky began going over his duties with Billy.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

Hutch stood in the wings, nervously tapping his foot as he waited for his cue to go on stage. Starsky had taken up a position at the front of the stage helping to keep the crowd from getting too close to the entertainers, at the same time that allowed him to maintain eye contact with Hutch for reassurance and encouragement during his set. Hutch was casually dressed in a pair of new blue jeans and his blue denim shirt with a guitar embroidered on the back.

Hutch heard his name being announced, and the introduction to his first song began to play. Pasting a smile on his face, he walked onto the stage and took his place in front of the microphone. The glare of the stage lights kept him from seeing past the first couple of rows in the audience, but before the show started, he had overheard one of the crew members saying that they had a sold-out crowd. The mere thought of singing in front of that many people was enough to give Hutch an anxiety attack.

He opened his mouth and began to sing. He performed his whole set in a nervous daze, and it took all his self-control to not just run as soon as he finished his last song. But the resounding round of applause that followed him off stage made him feel confident that he had done a good job in spite of his nerves. He glanced back over his shoulder to see Starsky grinning broadly and giving him the thumbs up. He lingered in the wings observing everyone wandering around in the compact area.

Mandy Reed took the stage to a round of thunderous applause and began her first song. She had a relaxed and confident stance on stage that Hutch envied. She bantered with her band and told jokes to the audience, and they loved her for it. Flashbulbs flashed as fans took pictures of her and the band. Some members of the audience could be seen singing along with her music as they waved signs at the stage, hoping to be noticed. From his vantage point, Hutch could keep an eye on things and enjoy the show at the same time.

Noting nothing unusual that demanded immediate concern or attention, Hutch relaxed and watched the performers on stage. They were all seasoned professionals who made it look so easy and effortless. Hutch knew that as much as he enjoyed his music, it was a private pleasure for him. He didn't have the dedication or the ambition that it took to make a living at it. He both respected and admired those who did. Although he was assured that he had done a good job during his set, he was still glad it was over and was already dreading the show,

After the two hour show, Mandy sat on the edge of the stage where she posed for pictures, signed autographs and chatted with her fans. Her band members lingered in the background, breaking down and packing up their equipment while keeping a watchful eye on the petite star of the show.

"Congratulations, Blintz," Starsky said breathlessly in his ear, momentarily startling Hutch who hadn't heard his approach. "You were great!"

Hutch tossed his exuberant partner a grin. He knew that Starsky would praise him even if he had done a mediocre job. "I'm just glad I didn't embarrass myself by messing up the lyrics."

"Nobody could tell you were nervous just by looking at you. I heard some people in the crowd raving about how much they liked your voice."

"Yeah, well they'd better enjoy it while they can because after this assignment is over that's the end of my singing career," Hutch said firmly.

Starsky laughed and slapped his partner on the back. "Come on, Blondie, let's find the food. I'm starved. One of the crew said there's a table somewhere in the back loaded with goodies."

Hutch laughed and fell in step beside Starsky. Leave it to his brunet counterpart to think about food first and the job at hand second. It didn't take long to find the table in question. As promised, it was loaded down with a variety of food. Cold cuts, fried chicken, fresh veggies and dip, chips, all kinds of fresh fruit, two different pizzas, and an assortment of other appetizers. There were also bottles and cans of cold soda, light beer, spring water and juice.

"One of the perks of the job, fellas," a fellow roadie told Starsky with a wide grin.

"Do they have a spread like this after every show?" Starsky asked as he eyed the buffet hungrily.

"Yeah, it's one of the riders in Mandy's contract."

"Riders?" Hutch questioned in a puzzled tone.

"Yeah, little extras that the star requests as part of their contract."

"What kind of extras does Mandy ask for besides the buffet?" Hutch asked

"Separate dressing rooms with their own bathroom for her and the band. Strawberry scented candles in Mandy's dressing room. Spring water in both dressing rooms before the show. A professional to do Mandy's hair and makeup and an emergency seamstress on hand in case a costume needs a quick repair or adjustment."

The roadie snorted and shook his head as he added. "Hell, you should see some of the things the big shots ask for in their riders. They ask for certain brands of toilet paper or a certain color on the walls, even new socks or underwear. Jennifer Lopez wants everything around her to be white, furniture, walls, carpets, paint, you name it. It has to be white. And I heard that some big rock star wanted a bowl of M & M's with all the brown ones removed. The bigger the name, the more way out there the riders can be."

"Seems like it wouldn't be hard to get used to that kinda thing," Starsky said as he began helping himself to the food.

"Yeah, well the down side is all the time you spend on the road, going from town to town, living on a bus with five or six other people, sometimes more. Missing your family, missing holidays, birthdays, anniversaries…" the seasoned roadie shook his head as a wistful smile tugged at his lips.

"It has to be hard on a marriage." Hutch noted

"It is. Most of us have been divorced at least once…some of us three or four times. It goes with job. And then you have the groupies…that's not good for any marriage. Especially if you happen to catch some creepy crawly and take it home to your better half."

"Ouch," Hutch said "I can see where that could kill a marriage."

The roadie eyed Hutch with a knowing look "Just wait, Blondie. With your looks, you're gonna have them creaming in their jeans and tossing their panties on stage."

Hutch blushed self consciously. "They don't really do that, do they?"

The roadie cackled "You better believe they do, sometimes they toss more than that. Hell, we used to have one groupie that followed us around and stood in front of the stage flashing her tits whenever we were on…till one night she flashed a little more than that and got banned from the shows."

Starsky and Hutch exchanged an amused glance. Even cops had their fair share of groupies. Hutch had a groupie who almost got him killed when she found out he was a cop. He was undercover on a case and she blew his cover. She also made an embarrassing call to Captain Dobey that took some fast explaining on Hutch's part.

Starsky had run up against a groupie who wanted to make a plaster cast of his 'family jewels' as a keepsake to remember the occasion. Hutch still teased him about that one. They had even shared a groupie or two in their time.

"So, when do we pull out for the next show?" Hutch asked as he began to fill his plate with fresh fruit and veggies. "In the morning?"

The roadie laughed and shook his head in amusement. "Hell, no. We pull out in a couple of hours as soon as we have the trucks loaded. We drive all night to get to the next venue and then sleep for a couple of hours before the show. Since you two are new, you'll either have to sleep in your own vehicle or in the back of one of the semis. We'll do a sound check and a rehearsal about three hours before show time. Then we do it all over again from now until the end of the tour."

Hutch sighed. He was beginning to see how hectic and taxing a life on the road could be. And it would be even more hectic for a relatively new artist like Mandy who had to do one date after another to build up a fan base. On the flip side, an older more established artist could take fewer dates for more money or fly to their shows instead of traveling on the bus all the time. Hutch was beginning to see that the road was a world of its own with time honored rules and routines that needed to be followed.

Everyone had their own job to do, and they all had to work together to put on a good show. But, the real burden fell on the shoulders of the performer. They had to get out there and put on a good show even if they were tired, sick or didn't feel like being on stage that night. He'd heard of performers who did a show and then collapsed from illness or fatigue after they walked off stage. And the audience had been none the wiser, not seeing the truth hiding behind the smile and the jokes.

Being a cop might be a twenty-four hour a day job, sometimes going weeks without any time off, but at least Hutch was able to sleep in the same bed every night (at least most of the time). He found himself gaining a new perspective and respect for the artists who made their living making the music.

Starsky and Hutch found a quiet corner of the room where they could eat and talk in private.

"It's not going to be easy finding this guy," Starsky said glumly. "Between all the road crew and back stage people, not to mention the groupies that manage to sneak back stage, and the size of the audience, it's like looking for a needle in a haystack."

"Yeah. And I don't think Mandy or her manager is going to like the idea very much, but I think we need to tell them no more autograph sessions after the shows for now."

"I bet that's going to go over real big."

"Me, too, but we have to get some kind of order going and step up the security around here."

"Yeah, nobody is supposed to be back stage without a pass, but it can be done." Starsky said.

"I'm going to ride with Mandy on the bus to the next show," Hutch decided. "Since we're supposed to be a couple. Sorry about the short notice, buddy."

"Figures. I do all the hard work while you get to pal around with someone who looks like Mandy."

"Hey, if I had my way I'd be part of the crew along with you, not standing up there on that stage in front of those damn footlights making an ass out of myself."

"Hey, who knows," Starsky said with a huge grin, "Maybe you'll get yourself discovered on this tour. Could be the start of a brand new career."

"Uh-huh…no way," Hutch said "I'm perfectly happy with the career I have. Thank you very much."

"Then I could at least say I knew you when," Starsky teased him good naturedly.

"Yeah, well I'll give you the first autograph…on a ticket for being a smart ass." Hutch told him. The two friends shared a laugh as they finished their food and went their separate ways. Starsky went to help load the trucks while Hutch went in search of Mandy.

He found her relaxing on her bus. With her face scrubbed clean and her hair combed out smooth and flowing, she looked like the young woman she really was instead of the star she appeared as on stage. She was too young for Hutch under normal circumstances. He reminded himself solemnly that this was just another case; they weren't really getting romantically involved. They just had to make it look that way. Hutch had no doubt that he could play his part convincingly; he just hoped that Mandy could too.

"That was a great show," He told her with a smile as he sat down on the sofa beside her.

"Thank you. That's kind of you to say."

"I meant it. You have a good voice, and the fans like you."

"That's one thing about country fans…if they like you starting out; they'll stick with you through thick and thin. Even when you're old and over-shadowed by all the new stars, they'll still be coming to your shows and buying your records. They're a loyal bunch, that's for sure."

"So it would seem."

"You're not a die-hard country fan are you?" Mandy asked with a lilting laugh.

"I like it well enough, but then I like classical music and jazz and the blues, too. I really like just about any kind of music as long as it's good."

"Where I come from, Country is all there is…all that matters anyway. Everybody I know either sings or plays an instrument or both. Hell, my daddy played six instruments and had his own band when I was a little girl. He had me on the stage when I was four years old."

"So you were more or less born into it."

"I guess you could say that, What about you? Do you play anything besides the guitar?"

"Piano and the violin."

"A fiddle player, huh? You ever play any down home hoe downs?"

"Not where I come from," Hutch told her with a laugh. He could just imagine the look on Richard Hutchinson's face if he ever heard Hutch playing a hillbilly hoe down on the violin. As far as his father was concerned, any music that wasn't classical or jazz was just flat out noise.

"You got a girlfriend back home?"

"No, nobody special."

"Too bad. A nice looking man like you. I'm surprised some filly hasn't lassoed you and put her brand on you before now."

"Went that route once. It didn't work out very well."

"Maybe the next time you'll have better luck."

"Maybe…" Hutch let it go at that. After his disastrous first marriage, Hutch doubted if he would ever be ready to take that plunge again. He'd rather play the field. No strings, no promises, no expectations. Besides, most of his relationships never seemed to get very far. Being a cop played hell with his personal life. Too many broken dates, too many interrupted dates, and too many cold meals because he was late, and the women were usually out the door.

Mandy and Hutch continued to talk as the bus prepared to pull out for the next show, slowly getting to know each other as they prepared to pretend to be a couple in hopes of drawing out the stalker.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

Starsky groaned as he opened his eyes. His back hurt from sleeping on the hard floor of the semi, even if it had only been for a few hours. It had been almost nine A.M. before they had reached the next venue and he'd been able to climb into the back of one of the trucks for some much-needed sleep before helping to set up for the show.

He shoved himself to his feet and stretched, twisting his head from side to side to work out an annoying kink in his neck. He rubbed his hand over his morning shadow and wondered where he was supposed to shave and wash up before he started his day.

"Hey, glad to see you're up," a voice said from outside the truck. Starsky took a few steps forward so he could see the face that went with the voice. It was another one of the road crew, a man in his mid-twenties with a deeply-lined, weather-beaten face and long blonde hair pulled back into a pony tail. His hair was that muddy color often referred to as 'dirty blonde' and was badly in need of a good brushing. Starsky remembered his name was Randy. "You hungry?"

"Yeah. What time is it anyway?" Starsky asked as he jumped down from the back of the truck.

"It's almost one. Me and some of the other guys are going across the street for breakfast."

"Is there some place I can shave and wash up later?" Starsky asked as the two men fell in step together.

"You'll have to use one of the bathrooms in the stadium. You'll learn real quick to figure out where the best places to eat are and the closest place to clean up before a show."

"How long you been doing this?"

"Since I was a kid. My dad was a picker for Bill Anderson for a while."

Starsky nodded as if he knew who Bill Anderson was. He decided it wouldn't be in his best interest to make his ignorance of the world of country music obvious. He needed to fit in with the tight knit group of roadies. If anyone knew the 'real dirt' on Mandy and the rest of the road crew, it would be the men that blended into the background as they did the grunt work.

As they approached the front gate, Starsky was surprised to see a crowd gathered just outside the fence. They were chanting, "Mandy, Mandy, Mandy!'

"Do they always do that?" Starsky questioned his companion.

"Yep. Every show. You get used to it after awhile."

"Aren't you worried? I mean, I heard that somebody has been stalking the star of the show."

"Goes with the job," Randy said offhandedly. "You always have some fans that get a little carried away. You got the fans that come to every show and follow the star around the country. They're relatively harmless. Then you get the real weirdos. Those are the ones you have to watch out for."

"Like this guy."

"Yeah. Like this guy."

"Any idea who it is?"

"No clue. I guess that's why Mandy asked your friend to join the tour." Randy tossed Starsky a grin. "Sometimes it pays to have a girlfriend in Mandy's position."

"Hutch is just doing a favor for a friend. He's not expecting to get anything out of it."

"Yeah, well, your friend has a good voice. He could make it in this business if he really wanted too."

""Hutch doesn't have any interest in doing this for a living. Like I said he's just helping out a friend."

"That's too bad," Randy said as he shoved open the door to a McDonald's across the street from the arena. Four other roadies were already waiting at a booth in the back of the room. Peter and Jerry were older than the typical roadies, both in their mid-fifties with graying hair, while Tommy and Pete were both younger, barely out of their teens.

Starsky was content to sit back and listen to the other men talk shop and swap stories as they ate their breakfast.

When they returned to the lot behind the arena, Starsky immediately noticed the police car parked near the rear entrance. Mandy and Hutch stood near the doorway talking to two uniformed police officers. Mandy was obviously upset and Hutch had one arm around her shoulders.

"Looks like Mandy got another note from her secret admirer," Jerry commented. Unaware that Starsky already knew about the stalker, he explained, "Somebody's been leaving her love notes and flowers before every show for a few weeks now. It's really starting to freak her out."

"And nobody can figure out how he gets the flowers and notes in her dressing room without anyone seeing him," Pete added.

"Maybe it's somebody connected with the show," Starsky suggested

"The first thing the cops did was check everyone working for the show," Randy told him. "They said nobody connected with Mandy looked suspicious."

Starsky already knew that, but he and Hutch had agreed that they themselves still needed to check out everyone connected with Mandy or the show. They never left anything to chance. That was one of the reasons they were so successful at their jobs. He nodded at Hutch in passing as he followed the rest of the crew into the building to start unloading the equipment. They would find time later to talk and compare notes.

Starsky was hooking up some cables backstage when Hutch appeared at his side. In a quiet voice, he said, "Somehow our friend got on Mandy's bus and left the flowers there this time."

"That sure makes it look like someone connected with the show." Starsky paused to wipe his brow. "A stranger couldn't just walk on that bus without being noticed."

"Unless someone connected with the show got them on there."

"Either way, it looks like someone with the show has to be involved."

"Makes sense. That would explain how the stalker knows exactly where Mandy is going to be at any given time."

"Or how he could find out confidential information like her room number if she's registered at a hotel."

"I called Dobey with a list of names. He's going to start the background checks and get back to me as soon as he can."

"If someone with the show is connected, then things just got a lot more personal."

"Yeah, and our list of potential suspects just tripled."

That night's show went off without any problems and Hutch's performance was received well by the audience. He was embarrassed when a young girl lingering back stage actually asked him for his autograph.

"How'd you get back here, honey?" Hutch questioned her as he scrawled his name in the notebook she had given him.

"Oh, my dad knows some of the crew. They always let me come backstage at one of Mandy's shows." She took back the notebook and strolled on her way.

Hutch frowned as he thought about the girl's answer to his question. It was just another example of how lax things were at Mandy's shows. His eyes swept over the chaos in the backstage area wondering how many other people were there because they knew someone who knew someone connected with the show. This assignment was getting more and more complicated. It was time for a meeting with Mandy and her manager to lay down some new rules.

Spotting Mandy's manager, Hutch walked over to him with a determined stride.

Lewis smiled broadly when he saw Hutch and gushed enthusiastically, "The crowd loved your set. I had no idea you could actually sing."

Ignoring the back handed compliment, Hutch said, "Starsky and I need to discuss some things with you and Mandy after the show."

"Sure, just as soon as Mandy finishes doing autographs."

Hutch shook his head. "No autographs tonight. This is important. We'll meet with you and Mandy in her trailer after the show."

"Mandy's fans will be mighty disappointed if she doesn't give autographs after the show."

"I'm sure they'll survive. We'll see you and Mandy after the show." Hutch turned and walked away without giving him a chance to argue any further.

He found Starsky and filled him in on the meeting after the show.

"Good idea, Blintz," Starsky told him. "I caught two guys backstage tonight that had no business being there. They claimed they were just looking for the men's room."

"As if there weren't clear signs pointing them out," Hutch grunted with a shake of his head. "How can anyone be expected to protect Mandy with this kind of security around her?"

The two detectives met with Mandy and her manager on her bus after the show. The three men waited while Mandy changed from her stage clothes into a comfortable pair of jeans and a tee shirt. She got a bottle of spring water out of the refrigerator, sat down on the pull-out sofa with her legs tucked up beside her and looked at Starsky and Hutch solemnly.

"Okay, what did you want to talk about?"

"The security around you sucks," Starsky said bluntly. "People can get back stage without a pass or any kind of screening."

"And we feel that it's too dangerous to allow you to sit on the stage for two or three hours after the show giving the audience autographs," Hutch added. "It puts you in a vulnerable and unprotected position."

"So what do you suggest we do to correct those problems?" Mandy asked, as she impatiently waved off her manager's objections. He kept quiet, but the expression on his face clearly showed his disapproval.

"First, no more autograph sessions after the show," Hutch said. "At least not until we catch whoever is doing this. Second, better security backstage to keep out the people who don't need to be back there."

"Mandy's fans expect her to give autographs after the show," her manager said insistently. "That's the way it's always been done."

"Not after tonight." Starsky's tone was firm and final. "At this point, anyone waiting in that line is a potential threat to Mandy."

"That's fine," Mandy said, waving off her manager's protests again. "We'll just tell the fans that I won't be able to give out any autographs for a while. I'm sure they will understand. What else?"

"There obviously needs to be a guard posted to keep unauthorized people from going on your bus," Hutch told her. "This stalker is getting bolder and bolder. Sooner or later he's going to make a move against you personally."

"Okay, we'll do whatever you suggest," Mandy agreed. "I just want his guy caught so I can get on with my life without looking over my shoulder all the time."

"That's what we're here for," Hutch promised with a warm smile.


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

Hutch adjusted his guitar strap across his shoulder and pasted a smile on his face as he waited for his cue to go on stage. This was his fourth show, and he was still as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rockers before he started his portion of the show. Yet, despite his nerves, he was beginning to enjoy the applause from the audience that let him know he had done a good job. Still, for him, music would remain a pleasant past time that he enjoyed doing but not for a living.

He heard his name announced and strode on stage with a feigned confidence. But, he was good at being undercover so he was able to hide his nerves. As usual, he saw Starsky lingering at the edge of the stage where they could maintain eye contact with each other during the show.

He was nearing the end of his second song when he heard a familiar voice bellow out a warning, "HUTCHHHHH…."

Without a second thought, he dropped to the floor and rolled to his left just as one of the overhead stage lights crashed to the stage where he had been standing. Several women in the audience screamed in alarm, and he heard members of the band yelling for someone to close the curtain.

Starsky appeared at his side and reached out to grasp Hutch's shoulder. "Are you okay?" he demanded in a worried voice as he checked out his partner for any visible injuries.

"I'm fine," Hutch insisted as he let Starsky help him to his feet. He smiled at his concerned partner warmly. "Thanks to you, as usual."

"That was no accident," Starsky growled fiercely, his eyes smoldering with barely contained rage. "Looks like Mandy's stalker is looking to eliminate the competition."

The lady in question came running onto the stage and to Hutch's side. "Are you okay? I was backstage and heard all the ruckus." She stared at the shattered glass from the light that littered the stage. "You could have been killed."

"I think that was the idea," Starsky said sourly.

"This is getting too dangerous. Maybe we should just cancel the rest of the shows until the C.M.A.'s in Bay City."

"We can't do that!" said her manager who had joined her on the stage. "Do you realize how much money you'll lose if you do?"

"I'd rather lose money than see somebody get killed," Mandy shot back.

"It's okay," Hutch assured her. "Starsky and I can take care of ourselves, and this may be the only way we're going to catch whoever is behind this."

"By making yourself a target for a mad man?"

"It won't be the first time we've been the target," Starsky told her. "And it's better one of us instead of you."

Mandy turned to her manager. "Make sure everyone in the audience gets their money back, and tell the promoter we'll reschedule the show and play it for free."

"Let me handle this," he started to argue, only to be cut off by a very determined Mandy.

"No, you'll do it my way. It's the right thing to do." With those words, she walked away, leaving an angry manager who decided to vent on the two detectives.

"I'm beginning to think that it was a mistake to bring you two into this!" he snapped.

"You can think what you want," Hutch told him. "But, we've started to spook this guy, and he's going to start making mistakes. That's how we're going to catch him."

"I just hope Mandy has a career left by the time you do."

"From what I've seen, the lady knows how to handle herself," Starsky snorted. "And how to run her own show."

The manager turned and stormed away, obviously upset at being overruled by his client and put in his place in front of the rest of the troupe. Starsky and Hutch exchanged amused grins.

"Looks like the lady has spunk after all," Hutch said with a chuckle.

"I wouldn't want to piss her off," Starsky agreed with a chuckle of his own. Their conversation was cut short by the arrival of the local police who had been called to make a report about the near fatal accident.

Closer examination of the ceiling light revealed that although the cables supporting it looked frayed, they had actually been cut partially through allowing for the weight of the light to pull it down during Hutch's performance. The very nature of the "accident" made it glaringly obvious that someone connected with the show had to be involved in order to gain access to the overhead lighting.

Routine questioning of the crew members who had been in the immediate vicinity turned up no new clue to the identity of the perpetrator. The officers took their report and left, leaving Starsky and Hutch to discuss the case between themselves. They found a quiet corner where they could talk in private.

"There has to be someone connected with the show involved. We need to call Dobey and see if he found out anything on his end." Hutch closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He could feel pressure building behind his eyes, a sure sign of an oncoming migraine headache.

"Headache?" Starsky asked in a concerned voice, familiar with the early symptoms of Hutch's migraines.

"I'll be okay," Hutch insisted. He couldn't afford to let himself get distracted from the case at hand. He had prescription medication in his bag. He would slip away and take some when he got a chance.

"Why don't you go take your pills and lie down?" Starsky suggested "I'll call Dobey and see if he's made any progress."

When Hutch nodded and walked away without arguing, Starsky knew the pain must be worse than Hutch was willing to admit. Pushing his concern for his partner down, Starsky walked in the opposite direction to find a pay phone to call Bay City.

Since it was evening, Starsky knew that Dobey would be at home with his family. He automatically dialed that number instead of police headquarters. After a few rings, a tiny voice said politely, "Dobey residence."

Starsky immediately recognized the voice of Captain Dobey's six year old daughter, Rosie, a precocious and spirited young lady. "Hi, Rosie Posy," he said "Can I talk to your daddy, please?"

"Hi, Uncle Dave!" Rosie chirped in a delighted voice when she heard one of her favorite 'honorary' uncles on the line. "I miss you and Uncle Hutch."

"I miss you too, honey. Can I talk to your daddy now?"

"Yes. I'll get him for you." There was a muffled sound as she laid down the receiver while she went to find her father and tell him that he was wanted on the phone.

After a short wait, Dobey's gruff voice sounded in Starsky's ear. "Starsky? Is that you?"

"Yeah. Just calling to let you know that Hutch almost got creamed by a stage light that fell during his set tonight."

"Is he okay?" Dobey may come off as being gruff and stern but the truth was he cared deeply for the men under his command, And, although he would never admit it, Starsky and Hutch were as close to his family as if they were blood.

"Yeah. I saw it before it fell and yelled at him to get down. That pretty much proves that somebody with the show has to be connected with what's going on."

"I'd have to agree."

"Did you find out anything on any of the names we sent you?"

"Just the usual. Some petty theft, D.U.I.'s, unpaid fines and tickets, and a couple of domestic violence. Nothing major."

"Damn," Starsky muttered, "We have to be missing something."

'I'll keep digging, and you do the same." Dobey paused and then added "And keep an eye on that partner of yours."

"Always." Starsky ended the call and stood there for several minutes, deep in thought, as he ran through the facts of the case in his mind. Something kept nagging at the back of his mind. Something he felt he should be seeing but wasn't. He just could put his finger on what it was.

One of Starsky's biggest advantages in his career was the fact that due to his appearance and his background, people tended to underestimate him. In truth, he was well-read and self-educated with a natural instinct and intuition that served him well in his chosen profession. Hutch might be college educated with a more analytical mind, but Starsky was just sharp with his own unique way of figuring things out.

Finally, he sighed and went off to check on his partner and found Hutch dozing in the back of one of the semis. Still too keyed up to sleep, Starsky decided to take a walk.

He left the arena parking lot and began walking towards a small carry-out a few blocks away. The night was quiet, and the stillness helped to soothe his nerves. He reached his destination where he bought a candy bar and a cold soda. He started back to the arena.

He was passing the mouth of a dark alley when something hit him in the back with such force that he dropped to his knees. Before he could respond, a second blow to the back of his head sent him sprawling on the pavement. Someone began kicking him viciously in the ribs, forcing him to curl his body into a fetal position to protect the more vulnerable parts of his anatomy. The attack only lasted for a minute, but it felt longer as the air was forced from his chest from the blows to his sides and back

When the attack stopped just as suddenly as it had started, Starsky lay there, stunned and struggling to draw air into his oxygen-starved lungs. A voice hissed in his ear, breath hot on his cheek, "Tell your friend that the next time he won't be so lucky if he doesn't stay away from Mandy. She belongs to me!"

Footsteps faded into the darkness as Starsky painfully struggled to his feet. His clothes were dirty, his tee shirt was torn, and his ribs were tender, but he didn't think anything was broken. He could feel scrapes from the rough pavement, and he was sure the bruising would be ugly, but that would be the worst of it

With slow steps, he made his way back to the arena and climbed into the back of the semi where Hutch was still sleeping. Taking care not to make any unnecessary noise, Starsky quietly laid down on a makeshift pallet beside his partner. He knew that Hutch would be furious in the morning when he saw Starsky's bruises and found out what had happened, but Starsky would deal with that when the time came. Right now, all he wanted to do was to get some much needed sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

"What the hell happened to you?" Hutch demanded when he saw the bruise on Starsky's cheek the next morning.

Starsky sighed painfully as he eased himself to his feet, and gentle hands reached out to help him. Starsky couldn't hide a wince when Hutch's hand accidentally brushed against his tender left side.

.

Hutch noticed immediately and pushed up Starsky's tee shirt for a closer look at his torso. Ice blue eyes smoldered with rage when they saw the bruise that covered most of Starsky's left flank and the road rash on his lower back. "Starsky, what the hell happened?" the big blond repeated impatiently, as his fingers carefully explored the injured areas.

"I'm fine," Starsky insisted. "It looks worse than it really is." He took a deep breath, immediately regretting it when his bruised ribs objected. He exhaled slowly and added, "Some guy jumped me last night when I went to the carry out for something to drink. He told me the next time, you won't be so lucky if you don't stay away from Mandy."

"He's definitely getting bolder," Hutch said. "Are you sure you're okay? Nothing broken?" Although none of Starsky's injuries appeared to be serious enough to warrant a trip to the hospital, Hutch was still a mother hen when it came to his partner's well being.

Starsky shook his head. "Just bruised and scraped. Hurts like hell, but that's about it."

"Grab a clean shirt and come with me to the men's room." Hutch's tone warned against any argument on his partner's part. "We need to wash those scrapes and put something on them so they won't get infected. I'll grab the first aide kit out of the car."

Starsky let Hutch help him down from the truck and across the lot to the arena, with a brief stop at the car to grab the first aid kit and a clean shirt. They went into the men's room just inside the rear entrance, and Hutch helped Starsky slowly ease the ruined tee shirt over his head.

Hutch turned on the water, adjusting the stream to a comfortable temperature. Wetting a washcloth under the tap, he gently began to wash Starsky's wounds. Starsky let Hutch tend to his injuries without complaint. Over the years they had become accustomed to being taken care of by their partner when either of them was hurt.

Hutch was just finishing up his first aid when the door opened, and Randy came into the men's room. He glanced at Starsky's battered face with a startled expression and then took in his bare chest and Hutch's close proximity to his partner. He smirked as he disappeared into one of the stalls and closed the door.

Starsky and Hutch exchanged rueful smiles. They were accustomed to their obvious intimacy causing people who didn't know them to jump to the wrong conclusion about their relationship. They had learned to ignore the questioning glances and raised eyebrows long ago. Hutch helped Starsky slip on a clean shirt and they left the men's room.

Crew members were busy packing up equipment and loading the trucks to move on to the next spot. Mandy was just stepping down from her bus when she saw the two detectives. Her eyes widened in alarm at the sight of Starsky's bruised face.

"David! What happened?" She said stepping closer so she could examine his bruised cheek. Luckily, his shirt hid his other bruises and scrapes.

"I slipped climbing into the truck last night," Starsky said, the lie rolling easily off his tongue.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Positive," Starsky told her with a lopsided grin that never failed to charm the ladies. "Blondie here is usually the klutz, not me." He was thankful that she didn't question his explanation of how he had gotten injured. He didn't want to alarm her by telling her the truth about what had actually happened.

"We're going to the show in Encinitas. We rescheduled the one in Santa Cruis along with the makeup show for this spot. So after the next show, we have a few days off before we get to Bay City." Mandy said. "I think everyone on this tour has earned a few days off

"I should help get the trucks loaded," Starsky said, remembering his undercover role as part of the road crew.

"And you and I can discuss the security arrangements between now and when we get to Bay City," Hutch suggested. As the two detectives parted ways, neither of them noticed that they were being closely watched by a man and a woman standing near the empty stage.

"Those two are going to be a problem," the man told his companion as he glared at Hutch's retreating figure.

"You need to be more careful," the woman hissed. "It was stupid to go after Curly like that! Don't forget…those two aren't what they seem to be. It's a good thing that the boss recognized Curly from that situation with Sue Anne Granger a few years ago and knew that he was a cop."

"Yeah, yeah…well whose idea was it to make it look like somebody was stalking Mandy?" the man shot back. "That hasn't worked out like you said it would!"

"This is no time to start arguing with each other. We'll just have to move on to plan B."

"And just what is plan B?" her companion asked sarcastically.

"Making sure that Mandy has a little accident before we get to Bay City. After all, we are getting paid a lot of money to make sure she never makes to the A.C. ." The woman turned and walked away as her companion joined the rest of the crew to finish loading the equipment.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Despite his sore muscles and aching body, Starsky pulled his own weight when it came to loading the trucks. He noticed several of the other crew members curiously eyeing his bruised face, but nobody questioned him about it.

He was taking a short break when Randy came up to him, grinning as he handed him a cold soda. "Looks like you could use this."

"Thanks," Starsky smiled his gratitude and took a long, deep swallow.

"Looks like you and Ken had a little tiff," Randy said with a curt nod at Starsky's bruised face.

"It's not what you think," Starsky told him with a tight smile. "I did this myself."

Randy shrugged. "Hey, it ain't none of my business what's going on between you and Blondie. If I swung that way then I wouldn't mind tapping that myself."

Although it was apparent that Randy had jumped to the wrong conclusion concerning his relationship with Hutch, Starsky decided not to correct him as he normally would. "Look, I know what you saw but Hutch didn't do this. I told you, I did this to myself."

"Okay, if that's the way you wanna play it. Makes no difference to me. Guess that explains why he's supposed to be Mandy's main squeeze but seems to spend more time with you."

"I didn't think we were that obvious."

"Maybe not to everybody else, but I know Mandy better than most of these guys. We grew up together." Randy leaned in closer "Besides, I know about her fella back home too." He smiled. "I guess you could say I try to look out for her, if ya know what I mean." Without elaborating or giving Starsky a chance to comment, he walked away.

Starsky frowned. He had read the background reports on the crew, and there had been no mention of Randy and Mandy being from the same hometown. He wondered what other secrets were hiding behind the seeming innocent façade of a country music star on the rise. Finished with his break, Starsky rejoined the others to finish loading the trucks.

When the caravan was ready to pull out for the next venue, Starsky and Hutch decided to ride together so they could discuss the case. Up until then, Hutch had been riding on the tour bus with Mandy while Starsky followed the trucks in the Hutchmobile.

"We have to be missing something," Starsky grumbled as he stared through the windshield at the rear of one of the trucks hauling equipment.

"Okay, what do we have so far?" Hutch mused aloud.

"We know it has to be someone connected with the show, or at least someone with the show is helping whoever is behind all this. The stunt with the overhead light proves that."

"That also would explain how the stalker knows exactly where Mandy is going to be and when, including her room number if they stay at a hotel while they're in town for a show."

"It also could be how someone can get close enough to leave her flowers and love notes without anyone questioning them or noticing anything out of the ordinary," Hutch added thoughtfully. "But, we checked out everybody connected with show, and they all came back clean."

"Well, I found out earlier that Randy and Mandy supposedly grew up together, and he knows all about her boyfriend back home."

"I thought Mandy said nobody knew about that?'

"No," Starsky corrected him, "She said that nobody knew that they were engaged, because the record company thought it was for the best."

"And that her fiancé is the one who suggested that Mandy and I pretend to be a couple."

"Yeah, to explain why you were suddenly being brought in as the opening act for the show."

"And that we were picked because Sue Anne Granger recommended us."

"So what are we missing?"

"Maybe it's not what it seems," Hutch suggested "Maybe there is no stalker. Maybe that's just a cover for some other motive."

"Like what?"

"Well, the most obvious reason would be to keep Mandy from showing up at the A.C. ."

"Great, that gives us another whole list of suspects to consider," Starsky complained with a heavy sigh.

Hutch's mind was already sorting through and eliminating possibilities. "Let's see if we can figure out who would have the most to gain if Mandy doesn't show at the awards show."


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7**

The next show went off without anything unexpected happening and no mysterious notes or flowers. Immediately after the show ended, the company loaded up the equipment and headed for Bay City where they would have three days off before the A.C.M. show.

The stressful atmosphere following them from venue to venue was taking its toll, and everyone was on edge and frustrated. Being on a major tour was an exhausting experience. It involved a series of one night stands, hours spent on the road driving from one town to another with very little rest of sleep, then sound checks and rehearsals before each show. After the show, Mandy usually spent 2-3 hours signing autographs while trucks were loaded, and then they did it all over again. Now, the band and crew took advantage of the well-deserved time off. Most of them just relaxed on their bus or in the back of one of the semis catching up on lost sleep or writing letters to their families.

Mandy's bus and the semis that carried her equipment were parked in a secured area of the parking lot behind the arena. She stayed on her bus with Randy, two back-up singers, Carol Hughes and Jessica Arnett, and her manager, who wanted to keep a close eye on her. But, as the hours passed with no unusual incidents, it appeared that the stalker was taking advantage of the down time too.

Since they were back in back in Bay City, Starsky and Hutch left the arena to meet with Captain Dobey.

Captain Dobey listened quietly as they told him of their theory about the stalker having some other motive behind his actions than simply an obsessed fan.

"So, you think someone wants to keep Mandy from appearing at the awards show Saturday night?" Dobey rephrased.

"Everything we've seen so far makes it look like someone is trying to scare her, "Hutch sighed softly. "It's the best scenario we've come up that explains everything that has happened."

"What about the incident with the light while you were on stage?" Dobey asked solemnly.

"I know it looks like someone was attacking me because they thought I was too close to Mandy, but if they really wanted me out of the way, there were other ways to do it that were a lot less pubic. Doing it in front of an audience during a show just guaranteed that it couldn't be covered up."

"Right," Starsky interjected. "It would raise a lot of questions and could bring the stalker situation into the limelight, which wouldn't be the best publicity for the show. As it is, Mandy canceled one show because of it and rebooked the one where it happened."

"So, maybe that was all this guy wanted," Dobey suggested. "And now that he has it out of his system, he'll disappear back into the woodwork."

Starsky shook his head. "No, the A.C.M. show is too big a deal, and Mandy is nominated for one the top awards."

"So who would be most likely to benefit it she misses the show?" Dobey asked. With a thoughtful expression he added, "That won't stop them from giving her the award if she wins."

"It might actually make it more likely for them to give it to her," Hutch added slowly as a thought suddenly occurred to him. "Especially if she ended up dead."

"So, there has to be a more personal motive." Starsky added glumly.

"What about the other nominees for the award?" Dobey questioned.

"Most of them are just like Mandy," Hutch offered. "New performers just getting out there trying to get their music noticed."

"Which brings us right back to square one," Starsky snorted in frustration.

"Well, the two of you have three days to solve this case and to make sure that nothing happens to Mandy Reed in the meantime," Dobey said gruffly.

The two detectives left the office to return to the arena. The session with the Captain had given them the chance to come with some new ideas about a puzzling case. Hutch's gut was telling him that there was something very personal behind what was happening with Mandy, and he had learned a long time ago not to ignore his gut when it tried to tell him something.

Back at the coliseum where the award show was being held, things were in a carefully structured disarray as preparations got underway for Saturday night. Other performers who were attending the show, some as nominees and some as presenters, began arriving throughout the day. The relative newcomers like Mandy arrived on their buses and used them as their dressing room and sleeping quarters. The country music 'royalty' would not arrive until the day of the show and would be sequestered at a four star hotel near the arena.

Since the A.C.M.'s were televised live, the network airing the special had their own crew to set up lights and other equipment beforehand. They would also block out each person's spot on the show and time it accordingly. To an outsider it may appear chaotic and disorganized, but in reality, it was a well-oiled machine that did its job efficiently with minimal distractions.

Because Hutch's newest theory suggested a very personal reason for the attacks on Mandy, the two detectives decided to focus their attention on the people closest to her: her manager, her band, various members of the crew, and her back-up singers. At the last minute, Hutch decided to add her fiancé to that list. Although he was not with her on the tour, he was the one who had suggested pretending that Hutch was her latest 'squeeze' to explain why he had suddenly been added to the show in mid-tour as her opening act.

As they sauntered around the arena pretending to be interested in the preparations for the upcoming show, they were unaware that the two co-conspirators who were behind the mysterious notes and flowers were watching them from a distance.

"We need to take care of them," the man growled at his companion. "They're getting too close and sticking their noses in where they don't belong."

"Relax…" his female partner told him patiently. "There's still plenty of time to do what we were paid to do."

"Yeah, well I still don't see why we had to put on this big act and make it look like some obsessed fan had the hots for Mandy, when all we had to do was put a bullet in her head and get it over with."

"Because it has to look like an accident to keep the cops from doing too much snooping around," his partner reminded him.

"Why? The insurance would still pay off if she was shot."

"Not if they thought it was a suicide. And that would be the only way to keep the cops from getting suspicious when she wound up dead."

"Well, what are we gonna do with those two?" The man jerked his head in Starsky and Hutch's direction. "They've been sticking to her like glue ever since I rigged that light that just missed bashing Blondie's brains in."

"They are becoming a nuisance," She agreed. "I think you're right. It's time we did something about them." She tossed her companion a thin smile. "I'll leave the details to you since you like doing that sort of thing so much."

"I'm sure I can think of something appropriate for our two friends….starting with Curly." He grinned and rubbed his hands together in gleeful anticipation as morbid thoughts of torture and pain drifted through his mind.

The woman tossed her hair and snorted as she turned to walk away. "I don't know why the boss ever picked you for this job…you enjoy hurting people much too much."

"Maybe that's why he picked me," he called after her. "Because you need someone like me to do the dirty work for you so you don't get _your_ hands dirty."


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8**

After spending a frustrating afternoon with no new leads, Starsky and Hutch decided to join some of the crew members at a bar across the street from the coliseum. The best information could often come from a casual conversation over a few drinks.

The bar was crowded with smoke hanging heavily in the air (and it didn't all come from ordinary cigarettes). The poor lighting and music blaring from a jukebox in the corner only added to the dismal atmosphere. The two detectives and three other men crowded into an empty booth.

Randy was the only one of the three crew members that Starsky and Hutch had more than a passing acquaintance with. A lifelong roadie named Cliff was a rugged looking man in his early fifties with stringy brown hair, squinty blue eyes and a hook nose. He was two inches taller than Hutch with a gangly frame and a three inch scar on his left cheek. The second man was a fairly new crew member named Lonnie. He was barely out of his teens with a baby face, blue eyes and a naïve manner that often led to good-natured teasing from the other members of the road crew. To his advantage, he was tall with a muscular build and was more than capable of handling his share of the work.

A heavyset waitress with bleached hair that looked like dry straw and a heavily made up face that only emphasized the wrinkles appeared at their table.

"Whatcha boys want?" she drawled in a bored tone.

"Give us two pitchers of draft," Randy ordered for all of them.

"I want some food," Cliff cut in rudely. He ignored the annoyed glance Randy tossed his way and told the waitress, "Give me a burger with all the fixing and some fries."

Hutch hid a smile when Starsky's stomach growled. Fixing the waitress with his most charming smile, he said, "Give my friend here the same thing."

Randy raised an eyebrow when Hutch ordered for Starsky, but he didn't say anything. He glanced at the waitress, dismissing her with a thin smile. "That'll be all for now."

Without bothering to write it down, the woman sauntered away with an exaggerated sway of her broad hips.

"That is one big mama," Cliff snickered as he watched the woman walk away. The others ignored his crass comment. Nobody connected with show really hung around with Cliff. He had a well-earned reputation for violence and didn't appear to need or want any friends. But, he had no problem joining the others to toss back a few when the opportunity arose.

"So, things have been pretty quiet for the past couple of days," Starsky said casually. "Do ya think that means this stalker decided to call it quits?"

"I doubt it," Randy said, "He's too obsessed with Mandy. He wouldn't give up that easily."

"I know I wouldn't," Cliff offered with a grin. "She's quite a looker, even if she is just a baby." He glanced at Lonnie "She's more your speed, Ace. Maybe you should try hitting that." He glanced at Hutch with a sneer. "That is unless lover boy over there has any objections to you cutting in on his territory."

"Mandy isn't anyone's territory," Hutch said quietly. "And I don't think any of us needs to be talking about 'hitting' that."

Cliff chuckled. "What's the matter, Blondie? Did I hit a sore spot?" His eyes narrowed as he silently challenged Hutch to make something out of it.

"Back off, Cliff," Randy ordered firmly, trying to defuse the situation before it got out of hand. He glanced across the table at Hutch who held his gaze for several long seconds as a silent understanding passed between them. Cliff grunted but held his tongue, his attention distracted by the arrival of their beer and food.

"I feel sorry for Mandy," Lonnie said as he poured himself a glass of beer. The other men followed suit. "I know she's scared. She's a nice girl. She didn't have to hire me since I didn't have any experience, but she did. I owe her a lot for that."

"It don't take no rocket scientist to load trucks, kid," Cliff said around a huge bite of his burger. "Just a strong back."

Lonnie fell silent, a flush creeping up his neck and into his face. Starsky hated to see the kid mocked like that. He glared at Cliff and snarled "Why don't you do everybody a favor and fuck off?"

"Why don't you make me, Curly?" Cliff challenged the hot-tempered brunet. The tension in the air mounted as the two men stared each other down.

Hutch discreetly dropped his hand to lie on his partner's knee. He could feel the bunched up muscles under his touch and knew that Starsky was coiled and ready to pounce. At his contact, he felt Starsky relax marginally.

"Pussy," Cliff grunted as he shoved himself out of the booth. Annoyed at not being able to start a fight with anyone at the table, he stalked out, leaving his half-eaten meal behind. Everyone at the table breathed a sigh of relief at his departure.

"What a dick," Lonnie said, voicing the thought that was on everyone else's mind.

"I should've kicked his ass," Starsky growled, residual anger still simmering just below the surface.

"That's exactly what he wanted you to do," Randy told him. "He's always spoiling for a fight. I'm glad you didn't let him bait you. I'm surprised he ain't rotting in some cell somewhere."

A pretty redhead in tight jeans and an even tighter sweater came up to their table and leaned in towards Starsky with a fetching smile.

"Hey there, handsome. Would you like to dance?" She asked in a sultry voice that sounded like fine whiskey being poured over cracked ice at the end of a long hard day.

"I'd love to, darling," Starsky replied with his most charming smile. As he slid out of the booth and walked off towards the dance floor with his 'new' friend, Hutch casually rose to his feet and announced to the table, "I need to hit the head." He turned and walked in the opposite direction towards the men's room at the back of the room.

"I'll get us another pitcher of beer," Randy said. He stood up and made his way through the crowd to the bar where he had to wait in line to place his order. When he returned to the table, Lonnie was gone. He had left some bills beside his empty glass to pay for his share of the drinks they'd had earlier.

When Starsky and Hutch returned to the table, the two detectives finished their drinks from earlier.

"It's been a long day," Hutch said with an exaggerated yawn as he sat his empty glass on the table.

"Yeah, we better get back." Starsky added. They excused themselves and took their leave.

Randy shrugged. More beer for him.

As they walked back to the arena, Starsky yawned and said, "Damn, I am tired."

"Now that you mention it, so am I," Hutch said. "I didn't think we had that much to drink."

"Oh, well…we'll get a good night's sleep and start fresh in the morning," Starsky said. He stumbled slightly, reaching out to grab Hutch's arm to keep his balance. He looked at his partner and started to speak but instead, his knees buckled, and he collapsed into Hutch's arms.

Even as Hutch lowered his unconscious partner to the ground, the blond was overwhelmed by a sudden wave of dizziness and a blurring of his vision.

"Starsk…" he whispered as he fell to the ground beside his partner.

A man appeared out of the night. A thin smile tugged at his lips as he bent down and grabbed Starsky under the arms, dragging him into the darkness.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hutch groaned as he rolled onto his back and forced his heavy eyelids open. Sunlight drifting into the back of the semi sent a piercing pain through his aching head. He groaned and closed his eyes, breathing deeply to control his rolling stomach. His mouth felt like it was stuffed with cotton, and he felt worse than he'd ever felt in his life after a night of drinking.

His eyes snapped open, his own discomfort forgotten, as he remembered events from the night before. "STARSKY!" He yelled as he sat up and looked around, frantically searching for his best friend. Starsky was nowhere to be found.


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER 9**

A ragged moan escaped Starsky's throat as he slowly opened his eyes. When he found himself in total darkness, he panicked momentarily until he realized that something was tied tightly around his eyes. 

Further exploration informed him that his hands were tied securely behind his back, and that he was lying on his side on a cold hard surface that felt like cement. There was a musty smell to the air, and it was hot and stuffy, as if he was somewhere that hadn't been used in quite some time.

He listened but could only hear a heavy silence. No traffic sounds, no muffled voices, none of the ordinary sounds of the city he would expect to hear. He assumed that he was alone since he didn't feel the presence of anyone else close by.

"Hutch?" he called out softly in a husky voice. He sensed that he was alone. Hutch had not been abducted with him, or if he had, he was being held in a different location. Still, he needed to be sure. When silence was the only response to his call, he knew that his partner was not with him.

Starsky knew if Hutch was out there, he wouldn't stop looking until he found his missing partner. And a worried Hutch was a sight to behold. God help anyone who tried to stand in his way or who hurt his partner before Hutch could find him. As long as he knew Hutch was out there looking for him, Starsky could handle anything that his abductor decided to do to him.

The soft click of a door opening alerted Starsky to someone entering his makeshift prison.

A draft of cool air was a blessing to Starsky's hot, flushed skin, but a sharp kick to his unprotected ribs caught him unaware. With a grunt, he curled up into a fetal position to try and protect the more vulnerable parts of his anatomy.

More kicks fell, hitting soft flesh and, at other times, solid bone. Either way, each blow was meant to hurt. The attack seemed to last for an eternity. By the time it ended, Starsky was battered, bruised and dazed. His ribs hurt, and it was difficult to take a deep breath.

A rough whisper said in his ear, "This is only the beginning, pig…you don't know what pain is yet…" The voice was course and hard to understand but Starsky was sure it was a man. The speaker was obviously disguising his voice, which meant it was probably someone Starsky would recognize. With an evil chuckle, Starsky's abductor left him alone to nurse his wounds as best he could.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"I'm telling you somebody put something in our drinks at the bar!" Hutch insisted hotly.

"But who?" Captain Dobey asked patiently. He kept his voice calm and level. He was well aware of the blond detective's short fuse when his partner was missing.

"There three other men there besides me and Starsky. Randy, Lonnie and Cliff. I'd put my money on Cliff. He's a mean son of a bitch with a bad attitude and a violent streak." Hutch sighed heavily and sank down into the chair in front of the desk. "Hell, for all I know it could have been the waitress or any one of a few dozen customers that were in there that night."

"But, why take Starsky and not you?"

"I don't know," Hutch snapped in an irritated tone. "Maybe they didn't like Starsky's looks, or maybe he did something to piss them off. He's good at that."

Personally, Dobey thought that Hutch did more than his fair share of pissing people off, too, but he wisely decided to keep that comment to himself.

"I'll put out a missing officer alert on him and run another background check on this Cliff character."

"You better check out Lonnie just to be on the safe side." Hutch told him. "But, there wasn't anything that stood out when we checked them out the first time. Even Cliff's record consists of mostly assaults and bar fights, nothing that suggests something as stupid as trying to go after a cop."'

"Most of the people connected with the show don't know that you're cops," Dobey reminded him. "As far as they're concerned, you're Mandy's newest fling, and Starsky is just your buddy who works on the crew."

"Did the background check come back on Mandy's fiancé?"

"Yes, it came in this morning." Dobey rustled through a pile of papers on his desk until he found the report he was searching for. "Jimmy Dalton. 28 years old. Met Mandy while she was still in high school and they've been together ever since. Only child. Parents killed in car accident just after he turned 18. No other living relatives. No criminal record. He's the manager of a local club in his hometown where Mandy used to perform."

"Sounds squeaky clean." Hutch sighed heavily. "Mandy said he was the one that suggested that we make it look like Mandy and I were an item to explain my suddenly being added as an opening act to the show. So, he knew we were cops. And Sue Anne Granger is the one who suggested using us to Mandy's manager. But, it wouldn't be that hard to find out who we really were if someone decided to dig deep enough."

"You still think this is personal and not just some obsessed fan?"

"You bet I do. Especially since they went after Starsky like that. That makes it very personal as far as I'm concerned."

"So is someone just trying to scare her away from the awards show or is there a more sinister motive behind all this?"

"I think someone has an entirely different agenda than we think they do. I think someone wants Mandy dead and wants to make it look like it was an obsessed fan behind it."

"Before or after the awards show?"

"I don't know…hell, I wouldn't be surprised if they try to pull something during the show. I think we need to double the back stage security and add a personal bodyguard for Mandy. Someone from the department that we know we can trust."

"How about Linc Jackson?"

"Perfect." Hutch nodded his approval. Jackson was a transplanted southerner who still had his Tennessee drawl and was a major fan of country music. He was also an excellent marksman and held a black belt in karate. And with his long hair and cowboy boots, he sure didn't look like a cop.

"I'll give him a call and get things set up from this end. Where will you be?"

"Hunting," Hutch replied with a thin smile as he turned and left the office.


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER 10**

Two days passed. Despite his efforts, Hutch was no closer to finding Starsky than he had been the day he had discovered his partner was missing. As his concern grew, his patience grew thin. He prowled the back stage area like a panther on the loose. He glared at anyone who dared get too close, and the look from those ice-blue eyes was enough to send most men on their way. Anyone who knew the big blond well knew that this was a good time to give him his space and not antagonize him. Until he found Starsky, alive and relatively in one piece, he would be a very dangerous man to cross.

Since the road crew for Mandy's show was not aware of Starsky and Hutch's partnership, rumors flew concerning the exact nature of the 'relationship' between Hutch and his missing friend. Some not-so-bright members of the crew didn't seem to care who overheard them spreading rumors. A trio that always hung together were talking among themselves as Hutch strode through the arena.

"What do you think, fellas?" the leader of the trio drawled to his companions as Hutch approached them. "I say he's on the receiving end. I bet Curly pounds him into the mattress every night." He grinned wickedly when he noticed that he had Hutch's attention. "Or maybe he just puts a collar and leash on Blondie and lets him suck him dry."

The words had barely left his mouth when he found himself pinned against the wall with Hutch's forearm firmly pressed against his throat.

"Spewing that homophobic shit is a good way to get yourself killed," Hutch hissed in a cold, calm voice that was enough to send a chill down the back of the bravest of men.

Calvin Byerly was not a brave man. He instantly began to cower and whimper at the rage he had evoked in the blond.

"Hey, man…you know how it it…people talk. Me, I don't care who you sleep with, ya know?"

He tried to smile but gagged it back when Hutch's forearm pressed harder, threatening to cut off his air.

"People talk and little assholes like you just repeat what you've heard, right?" Hutch growled. "Maybe even add a little twist or two of your own to make it a better story?" His eyes narrowed dangerously, and he leaned in close so he could whisper in the smaller man's ear. "How about I show you just what my partner and I do at night…and during the day, too…"

"Hey, man…let me go!" Calvin made a halfhearted stab at a show of bravado. "I know my rights! You attacked me! I can call the cops and get you arrested for assault!"

Hutch smiled a cold, sinister smile. "Go ahead. Ask for Detectives Starsky and Hutchinson. They're a couple of real bad asses. Ask anyone in the department. They've got quite a track record when it comes to busting heads."

He released Calvin so quickly that he fell to his knees, gasping for breath and clutching his throat with both hands. Without a backward glance, Hutch walked away while Calvin's two pals crept back to help him to his feet.

The encounter with Calvin had helped to release some of Hutch's anger and frustration, but he was still on the edge. He decided to talk to Mandy again and see if there was anything they had missed in their previous interviews that could be useful now. As he neared her bus, he could hear loud voices coming from inside. Mandy's voice he recognized. The male voice he did not. Concerned for her safety, he picked up his pace pausing when Mandy's voice said, "We are not having this conversation again, Jimmy! You already know how I feel, and I'm not going to change my mind!"

Since her words made it clear that she was not in immediate danger and obviously knew her companion, Hutch paused outside the bus to listen to their conversation, ready to intervene at the first sign of trouble.

"And you know how I feel! Or doesn't that matter anymore?" the man's voice yelled angrily. "Maybe we should just call things off right now!"

"Go ahead! It's not going to change things!"

"Mark my words, darling…this isn't over. Not by a long shot!"

Hutch took a step back out of sight as the door to the bus slammed open and a man jumped down the steps and hurried away. From the description he had of Mandy's hometown boyfriend, it was her fiancé, Jimmy Dalton. Hutch stood there for several moments, deep in thought. Things had just taken an unexpected turn. Was this somehow connected to the case? Without bothering to knock, he pushed open the bus door and stepped inside.

"Just get out, Jimmy! We can talk about this later!" Mandy said as she stepped out of her private part of the bus. Her eyes widened with alarm when she saw her visitor was Hutch and not her fiancé. Flustered and embarrassed over what he may have overheard, she said, "Ken, I'm sorry. I thought you were someone else."

"Like your boyfriend slash fiancé?" he asked in a casual tone. "Jimmy, isn't it? Jimmy Dalton?"

"You obviously overheard what just happened," Mandy said with a heavy sigh. "But, it's not what you think. It was just a stupid fight. That's all."

"Not if it has anything to do with my partner's disappearance it isn't," Hutch declared firmly.

"It has nothing to do with you or David," Mandy said, tears shimmering in her eyes. "It's just something that Jimmy and I can't agree on, that's all. It has nothing to do with what's been happening on this tour."

"Why don't you tell me what it's all about and let me decide that." Hutch suggested.

"I told you it's private, and I don't want to talk about it with you or anyone else." Her voice raised a notch in irritation. To Hutch that usually meant that the person he was talking to had some information that he needed to know.

"We can always go downtown, and I can have you held as a material witness until you decide to talk to me." He watched her face closely as he pressed the issue.

"You can't do that! Tonight is the Award Show!" Mandy began to cry real tears. "Please…please just let it go."

Hutch wasn't insensitive to the pleading tone in her voice, but he had a job to do; so he pushed a bit more than was necessary.

"I can't. My partner's life is at stake. Now talk to me, or we go downtown."

Hutch could be quite intimidating when he chose to be, especially when it concerned his partner's safety and well-being. His gut was screaming at him to follow his instincts, and his instincts were telling him that whatever was going on between Mandy and her fiancé in private was somehow tied into his and Starsky's case. He determined to find out just how the two things were connected, and he didn't give a damn whose toes he stepped on along the way.

Mandy sank down on a comfortable chair and covered her face with her hands. Her shoulders shook with silent tears while Hutch waited patiently for her to decide to cooperate.

Finally, she took a deep breath, exhaled slowly and raised her eyes to meet Hutch's steady gaze. "Before I left on this tour, I found out I was pregnant. It would ruined everything…so I took care of it. Jimmy was furious when he found out. He blamed my career and wants me to give it all up to settle down and be his wife." She took another deep breath. "And I can't do that. I've worked too hard to get where I am. Things are finally starting to fall in place for me, but Jimmy can't understand that."

"Has he threatened you in any way?"

"No, Jimmy would never do that. And he has every right to be angry. I went behind his back and got rid of the baby without talking it over with him first. But, he keeps telling me that the only way he can forgive me is if I give it all up and marry him. He wants me to announce that I'm quitting after the awards show." She looked at Hutch forlornly. "How am I supposed to do that? I love him. I do, with all my heart. But, I love my career and I can't turn my back on either one."

"How far do you think Jimmy will go to force you to quit?"

"I don't know. He keeps threatening to break up with me if I don't quit, and I could see him doing that."

"What about anything else? Could he get violent?"

"No. Jimmy's not that way. But, he does have a temper, and he likes to have his way."

Hutch nodded without speaking. In his experience, those where exactly the type of men who could turn violent under the right circumstances. Just because Mandy had never seen her fiancé become violent, that didn't mean that the tendency wasn't there. And getting an abortion without his knowledge could be a pretty good trigger for that violence. Hutch decided it was time to do a little more digging into Jimmy Dalton's past.

. 


	11. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER 11**

Starsky took a slow, even breath to minimize the pain in his battered chest. Whoever his captor was, he knew how to dole out the pain. He knew how to make it hurt the most without causing major injuries that could lead to immediate death. Still, after three days of almost constant abuse, Starsky's body was weakening and beginning to fail. He knew that he was close to death, but he fought to hang on, not for himself, but for Hutch. He knew that if Hutch didn't find him in time, the big blond would blame himself for his death and Starsky couldn't allow that.

The place where he was being held was cold, damp and dark. A bad place to die. Starsky wasn't afraid to die, but he was still human. He didn't want to die alone. "Hey, buddy…" he whispered to the empty air. "I know you're out there looking for me. I don't know how much longer I can hang on…" He paused to catch his breath "I promise I won't give up this life easily…God's gonna have to drag me away kicking and fighting with all I got in me…but, it sure would be a good idea if you could find me real soon…"

His eyes closed as he drifted into unconsciousness, exhausted from his efforts to stay awake. He never heard the door to his prison open later that afternoon. Lonnie Myers stepped into the hidden room, followed closed by his girl friend, Jessica Arnett. He looked down at Starsky's broken body with a pleased smile. He had enjoyed himself with this one. Too bad it had to end.

"Is he dead?" Jessica whispered, afraid to get to close to Starsky's body.

"Not yet but, he will be soon."

"Are you just going to leave him here?"

"It'll be over after the awards show tonight. Mandy made her decision, so we go ahead with plan B. She'll be dead, and it'll look like her 'mysterious' stalker is behind it. And our friend here will be left here where nobody will ever find his body. Then we move on. I hear that Heather Myles is looking for a new backup singer and road crew always needs another strong back."

"Too bad," Jessica said with a sigh. "I was hoping that Mandy would see it Jimmy's way."

"He'd be a fool to forgive her for what she did," Lonnie sneered. "The bitch killed his kid…all because her career meant more to her then he did."

"What about Blondie? He scares me…"

"Don't worry about him," Lonnie said confidently. "He's too busy looking for this one to get too close to us." A cold smile tugged at his mouth as he grabbed Jessica's upper arm. "You have nothing to worry about as long as you keep your mouth shut and do what you're told." His eyes narrowed dangerously. "I would really hate to see us break up."

Jessica could only nod her head. She was too frightened of Lonnie to cross him. At first that had been part of the attraction, that dangerous 'bad boy' image. But, as she got in deeper and deeper, she began to realize that to Lonnie she was just as expendable as any of his other victims.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Find anything useful?" Dobey asked as he watched Hutch skimming through the pages in his hands.

"Maybe," Hutch said as he rapidly read the report he had just received on Jimmy Dalton. It appeared that after his parents were killed while he was still in his teens, he had used the money he had inherited from their estate to open the club in his hometown where he featured local talent.

Mandy had been a fresh-faced sixteen year old teenager when she participated in a talent contest at the club. With his eye for new talent, Jimmy had immediately recognized Mandy's potential and had taken her under his wing. He began grooming her to become the club's headliner. Despite the seven year difference in their ages, they had begun dating and soon became inseparable.

Once Mandy began performing at the club, she began drawing large crowds almost immediately and soon had a local following. Three years after she became the club's headliner, she was spotted by a talent scout from Nashville and offered a contract with MCA records.

"Nothing suspicious about his relationship with Mandy," Hutch told Dobey "But, there were some questions concerning the death of his parents while he was in his late teens. They were killed in a single car accident. His father was driving and apparently ran off the road, hitting a tree head on. At the time the police believed his father had been drinking and driving, but several witnesses who had been with the couple earlier that evening stated that, although he'd had a few drinks, he had not been seriously impaired.

There's also a brief mention of a high school sweetheart who unexpectedly broke up with Jimmy shortly before the accident. It says that they dated for almost three years and had even talked about marriage after they graduated. No explanation for the breakup is given, and her name is not mentioned in the report since she was a minor at the time."

"Maybe that's a place to start." Dobey suggested

"It needs to be looked into further," Hutch agreed. "If he had anything to do with the wreck that killed his parents, that could show a potential for violent or manipulative behavior."

"And don't forget the high school girlfriend," Dobey added. "After dating for three years and talking about marriage, then suddenly breaking up with no explanation…it had to be something pretty serious."

"I'll keep digging," Hutch said in an annoyed tone. "But, we're running out of time."

"Don't you think I know that?" Dobey growled, letting his own frustrations show. "You check out the girlfriend, and I'll see what I can find out about the car accident."

Twenty minutes later, the two met behind the closed doors to Dobey's office to compare notes. Dobey went first.

"The accident was ruled as suspicious, caused by mechanical failure when the brakes went out. But, there was no sign of the brake lines being tampered with, so the accident was eventually ruled as accidental with mechanical failure listed as the primary reason and drinking and driving as a contributing factor."

"The high school girlfriend's name was Cindy Matthews. Her name now is Cindy Williams. She's divorced with three children, and she still lives in their home town. Apparently, she broke up with Jimmy because he had become too controlling and wanted to isolate her from everything and everyone, including her own family."

"Typical behavior for an abuser in the making." Dobey said glumly.

"She swears he was never violent with her but she did tell me that he beat up some guy that made a pass at her shortly before they broke up. Bad enough that he ended up in the hospital for a few days. Jimmy's parents paid off the other boy's family to keep it hush hush."

"So, he does have the potential for violence."

Hutch rose to his feet and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" Dobey called after him.

"It's time to talk to Jimmy Dalton," Hutch told him as he left the office.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Jimmy Dalton paced his motel room restlessly. He checked his watch for the third time in the past twenty minutes. It was several more hours before the awards show. He sighed heavily as he thought about his relationship with Mandy. He loved her, but he was also jealous of her sudden and unexpected success.

In the beginning, everything had been fine, like a dream come true. But, as her music career began to take off, her time was suddenly taken up by interviews, spots on local TV shows in Nashville, recording sessions, and opening for other established acts. He had proposed then, and Mandy had accepted, but she refused to set a date for their wedding. As her star rose, Jimmy was pushed farther and farther into the background, and slowly, his jealousy and resentment towards her career began to grow.

Then she was offered her first major tour and was nominated for three different awards at the country music awards show. Trying to hold on to what he saw as their rapidly deteriorating relationship, Jimmy had tricked her into getting pregnant. He had hoped that would force her to give up her career to marry him and settle down. But, instead, she had gone behind his back and had an abortion without telling him until it was over.

Jimmy had been furious. He began to hate the career that was coming between him and Mandy. And, when Mandy continued to put her career ahead of their relationship, he began to resent _her_. Unless she agreed to give up her career and marry him after this tour was over, he was moving on with his life. Alone.

Jimmy's memories of the past were interrupted by a sharp knock on the door. Startled, at first he didn't do anything. As far as he knew nobody even knew he was in town except for Mandy, and even she didn't know where he was staying. When another sharp knock sounded, more loudly this time, Jimmy called out "Who's there?"

"Police! Open up!" a male voice called back firmly.

Jimmy calmly removed the chain and opened the door. A tall blond stood there looking both intimidating and threatening. Jimmy immediately recognized him as one of the two detectives that had been working undercover on Mandy's case. Although he wondered how the man knew he was even in town, Jimmy wasn't worried. He knew he hadn't done anything incriminating. "Yes, may I help you?"

"Detective Hutchinson, Bay City P.D.," Hutch said, showing Jimmy his badge to confirm his identity. "Are you James Dalton?"

"Yes. What's this about, officer?"

"I'd like to ask you a few questions about Mandy Reed. May I come in?"

"Of course," Jimmy said cordially as he moved to one side to allow Hutch entrance to his motel room. Hutch stepped inside and Jimmy closed the door behind him.

"How long have you been in town, Mr. Dalton?" Hutch asked

"I just got in this morning. I came here for the awards show tonight."

"Did you see Miss Reed this morning?"

"As a matter of fact, I did. I stopped by her trailer at the arena just after I got in."

"Did the two of you have words?"

Jimmy paused before answering. He wondered how Hutch knew about that. "We had a slight disagreement. That's all."

"What about?" Hutch probed.

"Our wedding plans if you must know," Jimmy said. "I'm sure that Mandy told you that we're engaged."

"Yes. She said her record company suggested she keep it a secret for now, but that she's announcing the engagement after the awards show."

"That's true. Actually, I'm hoping she'll be announcing our wedding and not just our engagement."

Jimmy's answers all seem plausible and were answered in a calm, sincere voice. Still, Hutch's radar was going crazy, yelling at him that the man was hiding something.

"Did Miss Reed tell you that my partner is missing?"

"Yes, I do believe she mentioned it. I'm sorry to hear that but, it has nothing to do with me. I'm just here to pay my fiancé a visit and to root for her tonight at the show."

"So you and Miss Reed are still on cordial terms?"

"Yes, of course we are."

"Tell me, how much does she know about your past relationship with Cindy Matthews?"

Jimmy kept his face neutral even though the question surprised him. "She knows Cindy and I dated in high school."

"Does she know that Miss Matthews broke up with you because you were trying to control her? Or that you beat up someone for making a pass at her and put them in the hospital? Or that your parents paid the other boy's family to keep it quiet?' Hutch asked the questions in a rapid fire fashion designed to throw the person he was interrogating off balance.

To his credit, Jimmy remained undaunted and said calmly, "You've obviously been talking to Cindy. There are two sides to every story, Detective. And, unlike Cindy, I don't need to air my dirty laundry in public."

"What can you tell me about the accident that killed your parents?

"It was just that. An accident." Clearly annoyed by the direction the interview had taken, Jimmy said, "If you have any further questions, you'll need to contact to my lawyer. I would like for you to leave now."

"That's all the questions I have for now," Hutch said with a thin smile that never reached his eyes. "But, I have to advise you not to leave town until this investigation is concluded. It may be necessary to talk to you again."

With those parting words lingering in the air, Hutch left the motel room. He would be keeping a close eye on Jimmy Dalton for the next few hours. His agitation had been growing steadily for the last few hours. He had a feeling that time was quickly running out for Starsky.

As he climbed into his car and began to drive out of the parking lot, the dispatcher's voice came over the radio under the dash.

"Zebra Three, Zebra Three. Report to Captain Dobey immediately regarding Detective Starsky."

"On my way, Control," Hutch said as he hit the gas and flipped on the siren in his rush to get back to headquarters.


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER 12**

Hutch burst through the door to Dobey's office without bothering to knock. Dobey looked up from the paperwork on the desk in front of him with a scowl.

"You got some news on Starsky?" Hutch asked breathlessly.

"Do you know a Jessica Arnett?"

Hutch frowned, momentarily lost in thought. "Yeah, she's one of the back up singers in Mandy Reed's band."

"She's down in interrogation room 4. She says she has some information about Starsky, but she refuses to talk to anyone but you." Dobey told him

Without a word, Hutch turned and hurried out of the office. His heart pounded as he literally ran down the stairs to the interrogation rooms two floors below. He threw open the door to room four. Jessica Arnett gave a tiny squeal as she looked at him with a startled expression on her face.

"I hear you have some news for me about my partner, Detective Starsky," Hutch growled at her in his most intimidating manner.

"He's still alive…" Jessica whimpered in a barely audible voice. "Or at least he was."

"Where is he?" Hutch demanded

"You have to promise me…you have to protect me. He'll kill me if he finds out I talked to you." The fear in Jessica's voice was real and so were the tears that pooled in her eyes.

"We'll hold you as a material witness. Nobody will be able to get near you." Hutch reassured her. Although he was anxious to find out what she knew about Starsky, Hutch knew he had to give her the reassurances she needed to earn her trust and her cooperation.

"Who are you so afraid of?"

"Lonnie…" she whispered the name so quietly Hutch could barely hear her. "Lonnie Baker."

"Lonnie's the one behind all this?" Hutch said sharply as she named the last person he would have suspected.

Jessica nodded. "He's mean…real mean. He don't look it, but he is. And he likes hurting people and hurting them bad. The more he can hurt them the more he likes it."

Taking a deep breath to calm his own ragged nerves and still get the information he needed as soon as possible, he said quietly, "Why don't you start at the beginning and tell me everything?"

"Lonnie and I are both from Mandy and Jimmy's home town. Lonnie didn't exactly run in the same crowd as Jimmy or Mandy, but he knew who they were. We all did because Mandy was the hometown girl who made it big. Ya know?" Not really expecting an answer, she continued, "Lonnie was the local bad boy, and that's what I liked about him. I swear I didn't know all the stuff he did if someone paid him enough money."

"What kind of things?"

"You name it, he did it. Robbery, auto theft, Assault. I think he even killed a guy once. He likes hurting people, and he's real good at it."

"And he's never been arrested?"

Jessica shook her head. "He knew how to keep his act clean when it came to the cops. Most of the time he wasn't even a suspect because he knew how to cover his tracks. And anyone who knew him knew better than to snitch on him."

"Go on," Hutch prompted her gently as she began to cry softly.

"When Mandy got this tour, Lonnie suddenly came up with the idea for us to join the show. She needed another back up singer, and Lonnie said they could always use another strong back on the road crew." A tiny smile tugged at the edges of her mouth. "I guess it's a good thing I can at least carry a tune."

"How did Lonnie get involved with what was happening with Mandy? Was he the stalker?"

"Yes. At first he said he was just trying to scare her, that she deserved it because she was a bitch." She took a deep, shuddering breath as she fought to maintain her composure. "Then it all changed…he started talking about killing her. He said everybody would think her 'stalker' did it, that nobody would ever suspect him. Then you and your partner got involved. I don't know how Lonnie knew you were cops, but he did. He knew who you were before you even showed up."

"Who was paying Lonnie? This doesn't sound like something he'd cook up on his own."

"I don't know…I swear I don't. But, I know he got paid twice. He got five thousand dollars both times."

"What about my partner? Whose idea was it to go after him?"

"Lonnie's. He thought if he roughed up your partner, the two of you would back off. When that didn't happen, he didn't care. That just gave him a reason to grab your partner so he could hurt him some more. I told you…he likes hurting people. He really likes it."

"Has he hurt you?"

"He's slapped me around a couple of times…but that's all. But, I'm scared. I've seen what he did to your partner and I know that he'd do the same thing to me if I crossed him."

"We'll protect you," Hutch reassured her. He took a deep breath and asked the only question that mattered to him. "Where is my partner?"

"I'd have to show you. I don't know the exact address."

Hutch leaned in close and stared into her tear filled eyes. "For your sake, you better hope he's still alive, or all deals are off."

"I don't care anymore. I just want to make things right and get away from Lonnie."

"How bad did he hurt Starsky?" Hutch asked in a soft, broken voice/

"Really bad. I told you…that's what he likes to do. He was alive the last time I saw him."

"When was that?"

"About three hours ago. But, Lonnie said he'd be dead soon."

"You'd better hope to God that Lonnie was wrong!" Hutch snarled as he grabbed Jessica's forearm and pulled her to her feet. "Let's go!"

He left the building with Jessica close by his side. Once they were in the car and he was following her directions to where Starsky was being held, he called dispatch and asked to be patched through to Dobey. In as few words as possible, he brought Dobey up to speed on Jessica's confession.

"I'll get hold of Linc Jackson and tell him to stick close to Mandy and to keep an eye out for Lonnie." Dobey said. "And as soon as you find Starsky, call me so I can get an ambulance to you as soon as possible."

Hutch hung up the mic without bothering to reply and concentrated on driving through the heavily congested downtown traffic. Jessica's directions were taking him towards the docks and the warehouse district. There were plenty of empty buildings where a man could be held and tortured without anyone being the wiser.

As he drove, he stole occasional glances at Jessica. Her story sounded plausible, and her fear seemed genuine. Still, Hutch had been a cop long enough to know not to take a suspect's confession at face value. Her story made it sound as if she were just another innocent victim who got caught up with the wrong man, but his cop instincts were telling him that he still didn't have the whole story.


	13. Chapter 13

**CHAPTER 13**

Hutch braked to a stop in front of the rundown, abandoned warehouse that Jessica directed him to. Digging his handcuffs from his pocket, he snapped one bracelet around her wrist and the other one to the steering wheel before she could object.

"Wouldn't want you going anywhere without me," he told her with a thin smile as he climbed out of the car. Ignoring her protests, he hurried to the old building with a determined stride. The door was locked, but that didn't stop Hutch. He raised his foot and placed a well aimed kick at the rickety door. It crashed open, and Hutch entered the dark, silent building.

"Starsky!" he yelled into the eerie interior of the building. He listened but heard no answering cry. He moved further into the heart of the building, continuing to call out his partner's name periodically. He opened several doors, disappointed when they led to nothing but empty rooms.

Near the rear of the building, he opened a door to find a huddled figure curled up in one corner of the room. The air in the space was heavy with a mix of odors: sweat, blood, vomit, urine, and feces, strong enough to make Hutch's eyes water. Ignoring his own discomfort, Hutch hurried to the figure and fell to his knees beside his battered partner.

Starsky's eyes were closed and his breathing slow and labored. His face was bruised and beaten almost beyond recognition, but Hutch would still have known Starsky anywhere. With a gentle hand, he reached out and pressed two fingers against Starsky's neck. His pulse was thready and irregular, but it was there.

"Hang on buddy," Hutch whispered in a broken voice. "I'm here now. Hutch is here." Now that he had found his missing partner, he hated leaving his side even for the few minutes it would take to call for help. But, he knew he had no choice. Leaning closer, he whispered into a curl-covered ear. "I have to go back to the car to call for help, but I'll be right back. I promise."

There was no response from the unconscious brunet, but Hutch hadn't really expected any. He rose to his feet and ran back to the car. Jessica watched him anxiously as he leaned into the car and grabbed the microphone to call for help. She breathed a heavy sigh of relief when his words confirmed that Starsky was still alive. At least she wasn't an accessory to murder.

Satisfied that help was on the way, Hutch ran back to his fallen partner. Sitting at his partner's head, he gently eased Starsky's shoulders and upper torso into his lap, cradling him in his arms as he waited for help to arrive. Unconsciously, he began to hum a song that Hutch knew Starsky liked as he began to slowly rock back and forth.

He never heard the approaching sirens. It was the sound of footsteps and voices calling out that alerted him to the arrival of his backup and medical personnel.

"In here! We're in here!" He yelled to alert them to his location. Within seconds, the room began to fill with uniformed officers and two paramedics. The last person to enter the room was Captain Dobey. He took in the scene in front of him and immediately began barking out orders and moved to Hutch's side.

Feeling a hand on his shoulder, Hutch, his ice-blue eyes filled with a torment and fear that Dobey only saw there when Starsky's life was in danger, raised his head to meet his superior officer's gaze. Without a word, Hutch reluctantly relinquished his partner's care to the paramedics and allowed Dobey to help him to his feet. They stepped to one side and watched as the paramedics frantically attended to Starsky.

"… _probable internal injuries…"_

"… _broken ribs…possible flail chest…"_

"… _numerous lacerations, burns, and contusions…"_

"… _labored breathing and irregular heartbeat…"_

Fractured sentences filtered into Hutch's consciousness as the paramedic's identified Starsky's various injuries, all the while starting IV's and documenting vital signs. Unfortunately, he knew enough jargon and had enough medical knowledge to know that Starsky's life still hung in the balance. Only time would tell if Hutch had found him in time.

The paramedics put Starsky on a portable gurney and hurried from the building, followed closely by Captain Dobey and Hutch. The remaining officers would stay behind to process the scene and gather evidence. Other officers on the scene had taken charge of Jessica. She would be taken back to police headquarters where she would be placed in protective custody until Hutch could get back to her.

At the hospital, Hutch and Dobey were restricted to the waiting area while Starsky was rushed behind the closed doors of the treatment area. Now, all there was to do was wait. Wait and pace. Wait and worry. Wait and pray. Dobey settled into one of the cheap leather seats while keeping a careful eye on Hutch as the agitated detective paced the room like a caged tiger. Every few minutes, his eyes would dart to the closed doors that separated him from his partner. Whenever those doors would open and a doctor would enter the room, he would stop his pacing long enough to hear that they were looking for someone else, then he would resume his pacing in an even more frantic manner.

"Why don't you sit down, son?" Dobey suggested in a mild tone "Pacing a hole in the floor isn't going to make them come any sooner."

"I need some coffee," Hutch said in a distracted voice. "You want some coffee? I'll get us some coffee."

He turned and walked down the hall to a row of vending machines.

Dobey sighed heavily and glanced at his watch. They had already been waiting for almost three hours. If they didn't hear something soon, he wasn't sure just how long he could contain the agitated blond.

Vigils like this were far too common in Dobey's life. And, unfortunately, his best team of detectives was all too often the cause of those vigils. His main role at times like this was to keep the uninjured partner from alienating the medical personnel and unintentionally interfering with the injured partner's care. Once he was allowed to be at his partner's side, Dobey knew that there would be no moving Hutch until Starsky was out of immediate danger.

Finally, after almost six hours of waiting, a doctor in a blood stained set of blue scrubs came into the waiting room. In a weary voice he said, "Family for Starsky?"

"That's us," Hutch said.

The doctor frowned when he turned his attention to a tall blond and a heavyset black man.

"I'm Captain Harold Dobey of the Bay City Police Department and this is Detective Starsky's partner, Detective Hutchinson," Dobey explained.

"Does Detective Starsky have any family in the city?"

"No," Hutch said. "His mother lives in New York. But, I have his medical power of attorney to act on his behalf in medical emergencies.'

The doctor sighed heavily, obviously exhausted from a long shift. "We will need a copy of that directive for the file. Meanwhile Detective Starsky's next of kin should be notified as soon as possible. The next seventy-two hours are crucial. His condition is extremely critical, and I don't expect him to survive."

"Can I see him?" Hutch asked "I need to see him. I have to be with him…"

"He's still in recovery. I'll have someone come and get you as soon as he's moved into the I.C.U. But, you will only be able to see him for a few minutes at a time. His condition will be closely monitored at all times. The rest is up to him. I'm sorry. I wish I had better news." With those parting words, the doctor disappeared back behind closed doors.

"He'll be okay…I know he will. I just need to be with him," Hutch said in a quiet voice that was ragged with emotion.

Dobey had no doubt that was true. He had seen both men pull through seemingly hopeless situations before when all the doctors had given up hope just because they were together and drawing strength from each other and the almost psychic bond they shared. There was no way to explain it but Dobey had seen it happen much too often to question it.


	14. Chapter 14

**CHAPTER 14**

Hutch jerked awake. Heart pounding, his eyes swept around the room. A soft moan from the man lying on the bed caught his attention, and he was instantly at his partner's side. Starsky's eyes were still closed, but the brunet was agitated, moving his head back and forth restlessly as his fingers curled into fists.

"Shhhhh…" Hutch brushed his fingers against his partner's cheek to soothe him. "It's okay, buddy. You're safe now. Hutch is here." He leaned closer and whispered in Starsky's ear. "I'm here, buddy. Hutch is here now."

Starsky quieted immediately. Hutch sensed that he had slipped out of the coma and into a deep, healing slumber. With a practiced eye, he cataloged Starsky's various injuries in his mind. Severe bruising and lacerations to his face. His right cheekbone and the orbit around his eye had been broken. His jaw was broken in three places, and his lips were swollen and cracked. Three broken ribs and a punctured lung on the right side. Cigarette burns on his arms and chest. Six broken fingers, three on each hand. His left wrist had been dislocated and three fingernails on his left hand been ripped off. The doctor had told Hutch the night Starsky was admitted that his vital organs were starting to shut down and he was minutes away from death His internal injuries included badly bruised kidneys, a ruptured spleen, and a lacerated liver. Only the expert intervention of the doctors on hand had saved his life. That had been three days ago.

The desperate urge to relieve his bladder forced Hutch to leave Starsky's side. When he returned, he found Captain Dobey sitting next to the bed,

"Hey, Cap," he greeted his superior cordially. "How's it going on the case? Anything new?"

"Lonnie seems to have dropped out of sight," Dobey told him gruffly. "We've got a state-wide A.P.B. out on him."

"What about Jessica?"

"She's been charged as an accessory to abducting a police officer and attempted murder. She'll probably be able to cut a deal with D.A. for testifying against Lonnie and helping you find Starsky before it was too late."

"What about the money man? Any word on who hired them in the first place? They couldn't have pulled this off alone."

"We've brought in Miss Reed's fiancé, Jimmy Dalton, for further questioning based on some new information we just got from the police in his hometown. It seems that he took out a seventy-five thousand dollar insurance policy on Miss Reed just before she left on this tour. One with a double indemnity clause if her death was ruled accidental." Dobey paused to take a deep breath and adjusted his bulk in the too-small hospital chair. "They also went back and re-opened the case into his parent's death. They think now that he may have had something to do with it after all."

Hutch sighed heavily and nodded. Nothing shocked him anymore. He had seen it all in his years on the streets, every kind of conceivable evil that man could do to his fellow man. "How's Mandy holding up?"

"As well as can be expected, under the circumstances. She pretty upset obviously, but I don't think she was all that surprised about her fiancé's possible involvement." He smiled slightly "On the brighter side, she did win the most promising new female singer nomination at the awards show."

"Who's going to interrogating Jimmy Dalton?"

"I thought you might like that little assignment," Dobey told him with a thin smile.

"Yeah, I would," Hutch answered with a twist of his upper lip. He bent over Starsky's bed and gently rubbed the knuckles of his right hand against his partner's cheek, a familiar gesture of comfort between the two men. "Have to take care of some police business." He said softly into a curl-covered ear. "Don't you go anywhere while I'm gone." As much as he hated to leave Starsky at a time like this, he had a job to do. With a grim look of determination in his eyes, Hutch followed Captain Dobey out of the hospital room.

At police headquarters, Hutch went directly to interrogation room C where Jimmy Dalton had been cooling his heels for the last hour and a half, waiting for someone to talk to him. Leaving a potential witness or suspect alone for a long period of time before questioning them was a common police tactic intended to throw them off balance and make them more likely to crack under the pressure of an interrogation.

Jimmy Dalton looked up when the door to the room opened. If he was surprised to see Hutch, his expression didn't show it. He appeared to be calm, but Hutch saw the nervous twitch in his cheek. A highly skilled interrogator was trained to recognize the little gestures and nuances that helped them to recognize when someone was lying or when they were telling the truth.

"It's about time." Jimmy grumbled belligerently. "What's the meaning of this? I thought you people found out who was responsible for trying to hurt Mandy."

"We found the people that we believe were hired to do that, yes." Hutch replied. "We just have a few more questions to ask you so we can clear up a few loose ends."

"Of course. Whatever I can do to help resolve this so Mandy and I can get on with our lives."

"You can start by telling me about your relationship with Jessica Arnett and Lonnie Baker."

"They both work for the show. Jessica is one of Mandy's back-up singers, and Lonnie is part of the road crew."

"I just find it a bit of a coincidence that they are also both from your hometown."

"I'm not sure what you're implying detective, but just because they come from my hometown doesn't necessarily mean that they were friends. I knew who they were, yes, but they didn't exactly run in the same crowd as me or Mandy. And with this tour coming up at the last minute like it did, it wasn't that unusual to hire some of the crew from our hometown for open positions. Randy's from back home too. Besides, I don't have anything to do with hiring any of the crew or other performers."

Although his explanation sounded plausible, instinct told Hutch that he wasn't being entirely truthful. He decided to let it pass for the moment and move on to the issue of the life insurance policy.

"Do you mind telling me why you took out a seventy-five thousand dollar life insurance policy on Mandy just before the tour started?"

"Standard procedure," Jimmy said coolly. "Mandy was the star performer at my club. I was just protecting my interests."

"Just seems like another one of those little coincidences," Hutch stated mildly. "There seem to be a lot of those that keep popping up."

"What are you trying to say, Detective?" Jimmy asked with a smirk. "That I had something to do with this whole thing?"

"Did you?"

"Of course not! And I resent the implication that I did! Maybe I should call my attorney before I answer any more of your questions."

"You have the right to do that. Of course, it does tend to make you look suspicious. We're just talking here. You're not being charged with anything." Hutch kept his tone calm and innocent. If Jimmy called a lawyer, the interrogation was over. "But, of course, it's all up to you, so, by all means, call your attorney. I'm sure you have nothing to hide."

Jimmy appeared to think it over and then shrugged his shoulders. "You're right. I have nothing to hide. Go ahead. Ask me your questions, detective."

His condescending attitude grated on Hutch's nerves. He was going to enjoy bringing him down.

"You mentioned before that you were just waiting for Mandy to set a wedding date, but it seems like her career is more important to her right now."

"It's important to both of us. In the music business, you have to strike while the iron is hot."

"Still, it must have really pissed you off when you found out she had an abortion without telling you she was even pregnant to begin with. I know I would have felt like knocking the hell out of her."

"That's over and done with. Nothing to do about it now except accept it. There's plenty of time to start a family later." A hard edge crept into Jimmy's voice alerting Hutch that the abortion issue was still a touchy subject.

"Still, how'd that make you feel?" Hutch lowered his voice. "That was your kid and she didn't even tell you about it until after she got rid of it. She just went and killed it, threw it away like so much garbage. All because her career meant more to her than a baby…your baby." A thin smile tugged at Hutch's mouth as he continued in the same sympathetic tone, "A career that you helped her build. Hell, you made her a star by letting her sing at your club. And this is how she repays you? Looks like her career means more to her than you ever did."

"Her career…" Jimmy sneered "She wouldn't have her precious career if it weren't for me."

"That's right," Hutch agreed, sensing that a break though was eminent. All he had to do was keep pushing. "You gave her everything and how does she repay you? She throws it all back in your face."

"Yeah, well, that's all about to change."

"Guess you really showed her, huh? Now she knows how dangerous it is out there on the road. She's safer staying at home with you."

"Yeah, next time she might not be so lucky,"

Hutch hid a satisfied smile as he deftly led Jimmy into his trap. "Too bad Lonnie and Jessica didn't do what they were hired to do…and after they got paid all that money…"

"Stupid fucks…should have just done it myself…" Jimmy said. His face suddenly paled as he realized what he had said.

"James Dalton, you're under arrest for conspiracy to commit murder." Hutch said with a tight smile.

Jimmy vaulted to his feet, looking around the locked room frantically. "You tricked me!" he yelled. "You can't prove anything!"

The door to the room opened and two uniformed officers rushed into the room. They immediately restrained Jimmy and put him in handcuffs. He ranted and raved, screaming his revenge, as he was led from the room. Hutch ignored his outburst and gave a heavy sigh, relieved that it was over. He rose to his feet. He needed to get back to the hospital, to Starsky.


	15. Chapter 15

**CHAPTER 15**

 _Hutch slowly walked down a garbage-strewn alley. It was dark, and the fog was so heavy he could barely see more than a few feet in front of him. He was looking for Starsky, but he couldn't find him. Still, somehow, Hutch knew that Starsky was out here somewhere._

 _"_ _Starsky!" he yelled frantically, "Where are you?"_

 _"_ _I'm here…." Starsky's voice suddenly said somewhere in the fog, but it sounded like he was a long distance away. Hutch could barely hear his voice._

 _"_ _WHERE?" Hutch yelled frantically "I CAN'T FIND YOU!"_

 _"_ _I don't know where I am," Starsky said, his voice fading even more_ _._

 _"_ _YOU SOUND SO FAR AWAY!"_

 _"_ _You don't have to yell….I can hear you." Hutch could hear the smile in his best friend's voice._

 _"_ _I can hardly hear you, though…." Hutch said lowering his voice to a normal tone. He sighed in frustration. "Keep talking so I can find you…."_

 _"_ _I can't…..they're calling me….they want me to go with them…."_

 _"_ _Who does?"_

 _"_ _Pop…Terri…"_

 _"_ _NO! You have to stay here. If you leave…then I'll come after you..."_

 _"_ _You can't do that, Blondie."_

 _"_ _Yes, I can….you won't be here to stop me."_

 _"_ _No…I won't…." Starsky said, his voice fading away_

 _"_ _STARSKY!" Hutch screamed "YOU COME BACK HERE! YOU'RE NOT LEAVING UNTIL_ _WE SETTLE THIS!" But only silence answered him. Starsky was gone, and Hutch didn't know where._

Hutch was awakened by the sound of his own screams. It took a minute for the loud droning sound of the heart monitor to cut through his grogginess and catch his attention. His eyes anxiously darted to the monitor screen, his heart jumping into his throat when he saw the flat line.

Suddenly, the room started filling up with nurses and other medical personnel. One of the nurses gently but firmly ushered Hutch out of the room, shutting the door behind him. Hutch stared through the observation window into Starsky's room. He watched fearfully as one of the nurses pulled the sheet down to just below Starsky's waist, while one of the doctors in the room turned on the heart defibrillator and pressed the paddles against Starsky's chest, one on his left side over his ribs and the other one just over his right nipple. Hutch flinched. He could feel the force of the electrical current surging through his own body as he watched Starsky's body arch up off the bed. The doctor paused and glanced at the screen, but the monitor remained in a flat line. So he shocked Starsky again. Still no response.

When he tried for a third time without any response, the doctor reached over and turned up the dials, increasing the strength of the electrical current. Two more times he tried to revive Starsky without success. He was ready to give up when he decided to try it one more time. As he applied the paddles for the sixth time, the line on the monitor suddenly jumped and then went back into a jagged line as Starsky's heart started beating again.

Hutch sagged in relief, leaning heavily against the wall for support. Finally, one of the nurses saw Hutch standing outside the window and hurried over to close the blinds. A moment later, the door opened and the nurse stepped into the hall. "Please, go back to the lounge. The doctor will be out to talk to you as soon as he can."

Hutch shook his head. "I'll wait right here," he told her firmly.

The determined look on his face and the tight set of his jaw warned her that there was no changing his mind. She simply turned and disappeared back into Starsky's room.

It wasn't long before the same nurse stepped back into the hallway. Addressing Hutch, she said, "Your friend suffered a dramatic drop in blood pressure. The doctor believes he's bleeding internally, so he's being prepped for surgery. It could be several hours before the doctor has any news for you. You should go home and get some rest."

Hutch shook his head. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me," the nurse said with a thin smile. "You should at least go down to the cafeteria and get something to eat. Then wait in the lounge where you'll be more comfortable." She put a stern expression on her face. "That's an order, officer."

"It's Detective," Hutch corrected her automatically. "Detective Hutchinson."

"Well, Detective Hutchinson, you need to do what I said. I'll come and find you myself when there's any news on your friend."

"Thank you," Hutch told her as he turned and began to walk slowly down the hall,

The young nurse felt a twinge of pity for the man as she noted his slumped shoulders and dejected step. She had seen too much suffering and death in her short time as a nurse. Maybe this wasn't the right career for her after all.

Instead of going to the cafeteria, Hutch made a slight detour to the hospital chapel. Stepping inside the tiny, quiet room, he felt like an intruder in this sacred place. He had lost his faith years ago and hadn't been inside a church unless it was on police business since he was eighteen. But, now, he felt the overpowering urge to turn for help to a God he was no longer sure existed.

Walking to the front of the chapel, he knelt at the altar and bowed his head. After several minutes of uneasy silence, he finally began to speak the words that were in his heart.

"Dear God…I know we haven't talked in a long time. I know I lost my faith and questioned your existence. But, if you're there and you really are the loving God people believe you to be, please hear me now. Don't let Starsky die. He's not just my partner and my best friend, he's a part of me. Part of my very soul. We're connected in a way that I can't even begin to understand. But, it's there, and if he dies, I'll die. It's as simple as that." A single tear slid down his cheek. "He's a good man and a good cop. He doesn't deserve to die like this. You brought us together for a purpose. You made us partners, you made us best friends. It can't just end like this. I'm not ready to give him up…I'll never be ready for that. Help him now, oh Lord I pray. In your son's name…Amen"

Hutch rose to his feet and left the sanctuary. With heavy steps, he continued on his way to the cafeteria. He wasn't hungry but, he knew he needed to eat to keep up his strength up. Starsky needed him.

Two cups of coffee and a half-eaten sandwich later found Hutch back in the lounge down the hall from Starsky's room. Exhausted, both physically and mentally, Hutch could barely keep his eyes open but he refused to give in to the lure of sleep. It was almost four hours later before Starsky's primary doctor appeared in the doorway. His exhausted face and the weary slump of his shoulders bore mute evidence of the stress of the past few hours.

"How is he? Can I see him?" Hutch bombarded the man before he could say a word.

The doctor held up his hand to ward off the barrage of questions. In a quiet voice, he said, "He's still alive. He's one tough son of a bitch. Any other man would be dead by now. He's still not out of danger, but he's still alive. There was tear in the sack that surrounds the heart which filled with blood and caused his heart to stop beating. There was also a perforation or rip in the lower bowel which caused seepage into the abdomen which presents the danger of him developing peritonitis. Right now, I've had him put into a medically induced coma so his body will have a chance to rest and start to recover. I already cleared it with the nursing staff so that you will have unlimited access to his room."

With those words, the doctor turned and left the room. Hutch rushed out the door and hurried down the hallway to Starsky's room to return to his vigil at his side.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Hutch jerked awake, groaning at the cramp in his neck and the stiffness in his back from sleeping in the chair at Starsky's side for the past two days. A quick glance at his partner reassured him that there had been no change in Starsky's condition while he slept. Hutch knew that Starsky still had a long, hard road ahead of him, filled with pain and therapy, until he recovered. But, Hutch would be there at his side every step of the way. That was the way they operated.

His full bladder demanded attention, reminding Hutch what had awakened him. He shoved himself to his feet and left the room to use the men's room at the end of the hall. He nodded at the police officer sitting guard at Starsky's door. A guard he had insisted on when he learned that Lonnie was still on the loose. He didn't recognize the young rookie on duty, but trusted that Captain Dobey had checked him out personally before giving him his current assignment.

Hutch knew that he should go home long enough to take a shower and change clothes but he was reluctant to leave Starsky's side. He used the facilities and washed his hands, then walked back to Starsky's room. As he approached the room, he was concerned to find the young rookie gone from his assigned spot at the doorway. With hurried steps, Hutch continued to his partner's room and shoved open the door.

He was shocked to find a man in white scrubs bending over the bed, preparing to inject something into one of Starsky's IV lines.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" Hutch demanded, startling the man at Starsky's side. He jerked his head in Hutch's direction with a snarl. It was Lonnie. Without hesitation, Hutch lunged at the other man and dragged him away from his defenseless partner's side. The two men grappled with each other, falling to the floor in a tangle of arms and legs,

The sound of heavy breathing and fists hitting flesh filled the air as they each wrestled for the upper hand. Suddenly, Hutch cried out as a sharp, burning pain penetrated his side. From previous experience, he knew immediately that he had been stabbed. His vision blurred, darkening around the edges as he felt Lonnie wiggled out of his grasp. A second agonizing pain tore through his side, taking his breath away. "Starsk..." He whispered in a gasp of air as unconsciousness claimed him.


	16. Chapter 16

**CHAPTER 16**

Hutch struggled to open his heavy eyes. It felt like his eyelids were glued shut. He could hear the sound of machines beeping close by and the drone of the intercom in the hallway, so he knew that he was in the hospital. As he became more alert, he became aware of the pain in his left side, a sharp pain that cut through his entire torso when he moved. As long as he lay still, the pain was manageable. He also became aware of the detached, floaty feeling that accompanied a dose of some heavy duty pain medication. With a sudden burst of clarity, he remembered finding Lonnie bent over Starsky's bed, preparing to inject something into one of his IVs. He also remembered the fight and the pain of being stabbed, then losing consciousness.

"Starsky!" He cried out frantically as he forced his eyes open. He tried to sit up, collapsing back on the bed with a gasp as the pain threatened to drag him back into unconsciousness.

"Shhhh…" a soothing voice said close by. "It's okay. Everything's fine. You're going to be okay."

"Starsk?" he whimpered forcing his eyes to focus on the face of Lacy, one of Starsky's nurses. An older woman in her late fifties with gray hair and a grandmotherly attitude, she was adept at making her patients comfortable.

"It's all right, love. He's right here in the other bed beside you. Your Captain Dobey advised the doctor that it would be in his best interest to put you both in the same room. He said you would both heal faster that way."

Hutch let out a sigh of relief as he looked past her and saw Starsky resting quietly in the second bed.

"You certainly caused quite a ruckus," Lacy told him. "Luckily. One of the security guards heard all the yelling and burst into the room just as another man ran out. The guard found you lying on the floor. He also found the body of a poor policeman in the bathroom with his throat cut. The poor boy. It was too late to do anything for him."

Hutch's eyes automatically darted to the closed door to the room he was sharing with Starsky.

As if reading his mind, Lacy continued, "Your Captain Dobey assigned two men to watch your door and told them not to let anyone in unless he had personally approved them."

The update relieved Hutch somewhat, but Lonnie was still out there, and as long as he was, he posed a threat to them both. Lacy finished her duties and left the room, leaving her two patients to rest.

That evening Captain Dobey stopped by to see his two injured men. Hutch was just finishing his bland supper and was glad to have the diversion of a visit. He pushed his half eaten meal away as Dobey sank down in one of the chairs between the two beds.

Starsky was still asleep, so he turned his attention to Hutch.

"Lonnie's dead. Two uniformed officers cornered him in an alley on forty-second street and he opened fire on them. Stood right out in the open, left himself wide open for them to return fire."

"Suicide by cop," Hutch muttered

"Suicide by cop," Dobey repeated with a nod of agreement. "So it looks like that wraps up this case. And I got word just before I left the office that the police in Jimmy's hometown are charging him with the murder of his parents. It looks like Lonnie may have actually had a hand in that, too."

"So they were more than just passing acquaintances from the same town."

"Distant cousins to be exact." Dobey told him "And it turns out that Jessica was another one of Jimmy's ex-girlfriends."

"Joys of a small town," Hutch said with a snort.

"Well, I need to be going. Edith will have supper on the table when I get home." Dobey lumbered to his feet and left the room. Hutch relaxed back against his pillow and closed his eyes.

"About time he left. How's a man supposed to get any rest around here?''

Hutch's eyes flew open at the sound of the familiar voice. He ignored the painful cramp in his neck as he twisted his head towards the other bed.

"Starsky! You're awake!" he cried in a joyful tone.

'Who could sleep with all the racket going on around here?" the brunet grumbled. One eye opened a slit and glared at Hutch accusingly. "How'd we end up roomies? The last I remember you were coming to my rescue. What'd I miss?"

"Lonnie snuck in here and was trying to give you something in your IV. I caught him and we had a little tussle. I didn't know he had a knife until it was too late."

"You Ok?" Starsky asked as his natural concern for his partner's well-being over- shadowed his own.

"I'm fine.'' Hutch reassured him "Just sore as hell, that's all."

'Good. Gonna get some sleep now."

Hutch smiled as Starsky's voice faded and his eyes closed. Hutch closed his own eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

Starsky was alert enough the next morning to complain about his liquid breakfast. In Hutch's eyes that was a sure sign that his partner was out of danger and on the mend.

After breakfast, Hutch was taken to physical therapy to be evaluated for exercises to help him regain his endurance and strength as soon as possible. Lonnie had stabbed him twice with a long bladed knife. Luckily, the blade had missed all his vital organs, but it had nicked an artery causing some internal bleeding.

When he returned to his room, he was stunned to find Starsky's bed empty. The brunet was not scheduled for any physical therapy yet so he shouldn't have been anywhere but lying in his bed.

"Where's my partner?" Hutch demanded in a concerned voice that was edged with anxiety.

"I'm sorry, sir. They had to take him back into surgery." The young nurse pushing his wheelchair informed him. "That's all I know. I'm sure someone will tell you more when it's over."

"Tell the doctor I want to talk to him as soon as he's available," Hutch said firmly.

"Yes, sir," She said meekly as she helped Hutch get settled back in his bed. She scurried from the room. Hutch sighed as he laid back and closed his eyes. He hadn't meant to intimidate or frighten the young girl, but his worry and concern for Starsky overshadowed his manners.

Unable to sleep, or even rest comfortably, Hutch waited anxiously for news about his best friend. Finally, over five hours after Hutch had returned from therapy, Starsky's doctor came into the room.

"Where's Starsky? What happened?" Hutch demanded before the man had the opportunity to speak.

The doctor held up his hand to ward off Hutch's questions. "As you already know we had to take David back into surgery a little while ago. If you remember, I told you that one of the injuries he sustained was a rip in the bowel which caused the contents of his bowel to seep into his abdomen. Unfortunately, that caused him to develop peritonitis which is basically a very serious infection. We had to remove the infected portion of his bowel." The doctor paused to give Hutch time to absorb that information before continuing "My biggest concern is that David may not be strong enough to survive another major surgery this soon. And if he does survive….there could very well be further complications."

"Like what?" Hutch demanded as he tried to choke back the lump that rose in his throat

"He's back in the I.C.U. He made it through the surgery, but it's too soon to tell how his body is going to handle the shock of another surgery this soon. His vital signs are erratic and we are having trouble getting his heart rate to stabilize. I've ordered some medication that hopefully will help with that. There is a possibility that we may have to put in a temporary pacemaker to take some of the strain off his heart, at least for now." The doctor paused and then added, "At this time, there is still brain activity…so by law he is still considered medically alive. But if at some point, the brain activity should stop and he becomes brain dead, then the best medical advice I could give the family would be to remove the life support."

"I have medical power of attorney," Hutch said fiercely. "And I will never allow that."

"If he becomes brain dead, you might want to change your mind. Essentially, he will be nothing more than a human vegetable."

Annoyed by the doctor's attitude and negative predictions, Hutch abruptly said "You're fired, doctor. I will be bringing in someone else to take over Starsky's case."

"As you wish, but I'm sure that another doctor will tell you the same thing." The doctor turned and left the room.


	17. Chapter 17

**CHAPTER 17**

Once again, Hutch found himself sitting a lonely vigil at his partner's side. Although Starsky's vital signs were strong and within normal ranges, he had yet to open his eyes. Twenty hour hours had passed since the last emergency surgery had been performed. The doctor previously assigned to Starsky's case had been fired and replaced with Dr. Franklin, a doctor who was familiar with both men and their unique situation.

Hutch leaned down to whisper into a curl-covered ear, "Come on, pal. You gotta wake up. I'm getting too old for this. You're gonna make me an old man before my time."

"My son always did have to do things his way." A soft voice behind Hutch startled him. He turned around to find himself looking into a pair of vivid blue eyes framed by soft brown curls lightly streaked with gray.

"Mrs. Starsky," he said "You didn't have to come." He had been keeping Starsky's mother updated daily on his condition, but he had been selective on how much he had said due to her having recently suffered a mild heart attack.

"I know," she told him with a sweet, loving smile. "But, sometimes a son needs a mother's touch to get better." She moved to Starsky's side and leaned down to gently kiss her eldest son's cheek. "Mama's here now, Davi…now your Hutch is not alone."

Hutch was touched by her words. She had always accepted Hutch and his place in her son's life. In her eyes, he was her third son and she treated him that way. Her loving care made up for Hutch's estrangement from his own parents.

Rachel Starsky straightened up and turned a critical eye on her 'other son'. "You look like you could use a break. Go…get something to eat and wash up. I will sit with David while you're gone."

"The doctor said he should be waking up soon…" Hutch stalled not wanting to leave Starsky's side.

"And knowing my David, he will wait until you are back with us to do that. Now go…" She turned back to her son's side and began to sing to him quietly in Yiddish. Hutch recognized the lyrical soothing rhythms of the ancient language. He had often heard Starsky talk to his mother in Yiddish during some of their Friday night phone calls.

With a faint smile and a reluctant step, Hutch left the room and took the elevator down to the first floor cafeteria. Although he had little appetite, he went through the line and got a container of strawberry yogurt and a salad with ranch dressing on the side. At the checkout, he added a large iced tea without sugar.

Paying for his order, he made his way through the crowded room to a small table in the back of the room where he wouldn't be disturbed. With a weary sigh, he sat down to eat his solitary meal.

Lost in his own thoughts, he didn't notice the tall thin black man approaching his table until he spoke.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that you're supposed to be eating that, not pushing it around on your plate?"

Hutch looked up into Huggy Bear's smiling face. Huggy was a close friend of both Starsky and Hutch. He had known Starsky ever since the brunet was sent to California when he was thirteen. Starsky had introduced him to Hutch while they were in the academy together.

Huggy owned a popular bar and grill where the two men hung out and he often helped them out with information when they were working on a case. He had his ear to the street and always knew what was going down all over town. If he didn't know, he had an uncanny way of finding out.

"I suppose you're the one who brought Starsky's mom here."

"I cannot tell a lie. Huggy Bear's Chauffeur service. We never close. I did pick up the lady in question at the airport and brought her here at her request."

"I'm sure that Starsky will thank you for that when he wakes up."

"How's Curly doing?"

"As well as can be expected. Doc Franklin said he should be waking up anytime."

"From your voice to God's ears," Huggy said solemnly with a quick glance at the ceiling.

Hutch shoved his unfinished salad across the table to Huggy. "I better get back. Thanks for everything, Hug."

"No problem, Blondie. You just take care of Curly. The streets just ain't the same without you two out there keeping 'em safe."

Hutch smiled as he stood up and walked away. Back on the fifth floor, he made his way down the hall to Starsky's room. Since he was an injured police officer, preferential treatment put him in the room closest to the nurse's station.

Rachel was sitting in the chair beside the bed and holding Starsky's right hand through the guard rails on the bed. Hutch blinked back the sudden tears that sprang to his eyes at the image of mother and son. Unbidden memories surfaced of that terrible time three years ago when Starsky had almost died from a hit that was carried out in the police parking garage. Rachel had flown to Bay City then and stayed for almost 6 weeks until she knew that her son was out of danger and would survive his horrendous injuries.

It had taken Starsky almost a year to recover, and the last three months of his recuperation had been spent in New York where he could bask in his mother's tender loving care. Hutch had benefited, too, from Rachel's support and comfort as he stayed by Starsky's side where he had been constantly for nine months.

"This isn't like the last time," Rachel said, startling Hutch out of his dark memories. Like her son, she often seemed to be able to read Hutch's mind without him saying a word. It was unnerving at times. "He's stronger this time, and he's going to be okay."

"I know." Hutch said with a smile as he prepared to take over the vigil.

Rachel smiled and rose to her feet. "I think I will find that nice Mr. Bear and have him take me to your Captain's Dobey's house. His family has graciously invited me to stay with them again while I am here."

"You do that. It was a long flight, and you should rest. Huggy's downstairs in the cafeteria. I will call you when David wakes up."

"I know that I am leaving him good hands." She gave Hutch a kiss on the cheek and left the room to find Huggy.

As Hutch sank down in the chair beside the bed, Starsky's eyes fluttered and opened.

"Is Ma gone?" he asked in a dry, raspy voice.

"She just left. Do you want me to get her?"

Starsky shook his head adamantly. "No, she needs to rest. There'll be plenty of time for visiting later."

"How long have you been awake?"

"Not long. But, I knew if Ma knew, she wouldn't leave." His eyes drifted to the side.

Hutch automatically reached for the water pitcher and poured him a glass. He held the straw to Starsky's lips, waiting patiently while he drank his fill. At the same time, he assessed Starsky's condition with a critical eye. His color was good in spite of the dark circles under his eyes. The slightly pinched lips spoke of some pain, but nothing major. And the glazed look in his eyes was from the effects of the narcotics being pumped into his veins for the pain.

"Thanks," Starsky said as he lay back against his pillow and took a slow, deep breath.

"How do you feel?"

"Been better, but I've been worse too. What about you?"

"I'm okay," Hutch said as he was reminded of his own injuries. The knife wounds were healing nicely. Hutch hadn't even noticed his own discomfort. He had been too wrapped up in worrying about his partner's latest bout with the surgeon's knife to think about himself.

"How soon can I get out of here?"

Hutch chuckled. If Starsky was complaining about wanting to get out of the hospital, he was definitely on the mend. Both men hated hospitals and never stayed in one any longer than they absolutely had to.

"Well, not today but soon," Hutch reassured him with a grin. "You don't want to cheat your mama out of spoiling you a little now do you?"

"Naw," Starsky said with a faint grin in return. "That's what Mama's are for. Right?"

"Right. Why don't you try to take a nap, and I'll call your mom when you wake up so she can come see her little boy."

"Little boy..,right," Starsky scoffed. "I haven't been little for a long time." He closed his eyes and let a healing sleep come over him.

Suddenly his own exhaustion overwhelmed him and Hutch closed his eyes, joining his partner in a restful sleep as the tension of the past few days drained away.


	18. Chapter 18

**CHAPTER 18**

Time passes slowly in a hospital. Not necessarily for a sedated patient, but for the friends and family members watching over them. Since regaining consciousness the day before, Starsky had been resting comfortably. Heavily sedated, he drifted in and out of a healing slumber throughout the day.

Rachel Starsky sat by her son's side, softly talking to him in a combination of English and Yiddish. Hutch sat on the opposite side of the bed, smiling faintly as he watched the loving interaction between mother and her child. It was at times like this that he regretted not having the same sort of relationship with his own mother.

To his parents, children were meant to be extensions of themselves, well mannered and groomed, quiet and respectful to the adults in their lives. The best clothes, the best schools, all the right friends, music lessons, riding lessons, anything money could buy. Anything except love and any sign of physical affection.

Raised by a series of nannies and housekeepers, Hutch learned to be independent at an early age. A shy and withdrawn adolescent, he grew into a reserved and guarded adult. A natural athlete, he went to college on a track scholarship. His senior year he married his high school sweetheart in an elaborate wedding that was the talk of the social season. After graduation, he finally rebelled against his parent's tight rein on his life and refused to follow his father's demand that he enroll in law school.

He moved almost two thousand miles away to southern California where he enrolled in the police academy, a decision that had driven a wedge between Hutch and his parents that never healed. After messy divorce from Vanessa, his relationship with his parents dwindled to impersonal greeting cards on his birthday and Christmas with generous checks enclosed.

His friendship with Starsky and filled the void in his life and helped make him the man he had become. Since neither one of them had any immediate family in the city, they became each other's family, brothers by choice, brothers of the heart if not by blood.

At times like this when one of them was hurt and in the hospital, the other one felt their pain and suffered right along with them. Hutch secretly hoped that when the day came, they would go out together so that neither one would be left to go on alone. Hutch had made a promise to himself that if Starsky was the first to go, he would find a way to follow as soon as he possibly could. He had no intention of living his life alone without Starsky by his side.

Doctor Franklin had optimistically predicted that Starsky could be ready to go home by the end of the week if his condition continued to improve. As usual, Hutch would be staying with him until he was fully recovered from his injuries. If their positions were reversed, Starsky would be doing the same for him.

A light rap on the door to the room caught his attention. He smiled brightly when Mandy Reed stepped into the room. Casually dressed in jeans and a yellow tee shirt, with her hair hanging loose and no makeup, she barely resembled the woman that sang to hundreds of fans almost every night.

"How's he doing?" she asked in the quiet voice that people seemed to use whenever visiting anyone in the hospital.

"Good," Hutch told her "The doctor said he might be able to go home at the end of the week."

"I'm glad to hear that. I'm just sorry this had to happen to him because of me."

"Nonsense my dear," Rachel cut in "My Davey was just doing his job."

"I still feel like it was partly my fault. If I had seen Jimmie for what he really was, none of this would have happened."

"Hey, he fooled everybody. Not just you," Hutch told her. "It happens. You can't beat yourself up over it."

"Maybe not. Anyway, I want to make things right. I want to pay all of his medical bills."

"There's no need to do that," Hutch told her "The department has excellent medical coverage."

"Well I still want to do something special to show my appreciation for everything you both did." She smiled brightly as a thought occurred to her. "I know what I'm going to do. I'm going to donate this weekend's gate to the hospital."

"There's no need to do that," Hutch said, "But, I'm sure they would appreciate it."

"I insist. Besides, it will make me feel better." Stepping up to Hutch, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Grinning, she turned and leaned over the bedside railing to give Starsky one too. She was startled to find a pair or sapphire blue eyes looking up at her. "Hey, you…good to see you wake," she whispered as she gave Starsky his kiss.

"Hey, beautiful…" Starsky mumbled in a hoarse voice with a lopsided smile. His eyes drifted from Mandy's face to his mother's and then to Hutch. Satisfied that he was surrounded by the people he loved, he closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

Mandy straightened up and looked at Hutch. "Is he really okay?"

"Yeah. He's just doped up right now. Makes it hard for him to stay awake more than a few minutes at a time."

"Well, I really must go. We have a show in Dallas tomorrow night." Mandy left the room, the scent of her perfume lingering in the air.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Three weeks later found Starsky and Hutch backstage at one of Mandy's concerts. They were there as her special guests, and she had even given them an elaborate introduction at the beginning of her set. She had asked Hutch to join her for a song which he did after some gentle coaxing. His musical career was over as far as he was concerned. After tonight, he would be performing for an audience of one: Starsky.

As he came off stage, he found Starsky clapping loudly and grinning broadly.

"Great job, Blintz."

"Thanks, but that was my final appearance."

"Hey, don't forget the annual policeman's picnic," Starsky reminded him. "That's the only other time I can ever get you to sing for anybody but me."

"I couldn't take the lifestyle. On the road all the time, a different city every night, no personal life to speak of. You have to want it awfully bad to live like that."

"That's what makes someone like Mandy a star," Starsky pointed out.

"It takes more than that. It takes a lot of luck, too. The streets of Nashville are full of singers just waiting for that big break that could make them a star, too."

The two friends fell into a comfortable silence as they watched the rest of Mandy's show from their vantage point. They left after her last song and returned to their normal lives. Things were right again with their world and would stay that way until the next time one of them got hurt on the job. But, they still had each other and that was all that mattered to either of them.

THE END (FOR NOW)


End file.
